If National wins ...

[elZorro]

Tobacco has had some fierce and well organised opponents, much funding by the government (ie us taxpayers) helped by a big push from the Maori party. However, on the whole the people deciding to smoke are the primary sufferers of the consequences. On the other hand, IMHO alcohol is a way bigger social problem which affects many many innocent people. Yet, we do not see the same general antipathy or taxpayer funding. Why is that? Why is one addictive substance more OK than another?

Campbell Live has had a real go at legal highs, with orchestrated appeals to the mass audience. Looks like Labour has hopped on an apparently populist bandwagon, and National has decided to take the wind from their sails in an election year. We are seeing increasing loosening up of drug enforcement around the world, as it is acknowledged that the 'war on drugs' is ineffective and a better approach is transparency. Not here though.

I am waiting to see CL take on alcohol, might be waiting a while though ....

BTW, my personal position is that government should lay down some basic safety rules (which probably already exist) then butt out.

From what I can see Artemis, Labour originally backed the idea of carefully controlled legal highs, but after 12-18 months National has not put in place any testing or vetting system, as required to ensure only minimal harm from allowed drugs. This is completely unacceptable. On 27th April (Sunday) Labour sent out a press release/memo saying there was to be a formal communication about their legal highs policy on Monday, today. Within a few minutes, National had released their 'plan' to halt all sales.

National can't get organised enough to ensure a sensible policy works as it was designed, and now shows it is bereft of any resolve except keeping Labour out of the limelight. If we had gone into the election with National sticking to their oft-repeated story about how making these manufactured highs illegal doesn't work (and that might be true), it would have cost them votes with the general public, who have a different gut feeling. National copies sensible Labour policies, and has a concerted sling-off at others, helped by the press.

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/dunne-w...ighs-ck-155275

[winner69]

Looks like David tried to embellish an already good story to put himself in better light

Does get a little confused at times does our David

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...o-medal-muddle

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...o-medal-muddle

[Harvey Specter]

From what I can see Artemis, Labour originally backed the idea of carefully controlled legal highs, but after 12-18 months National has not put in place any testing or vetting system, as required to ensure only minimal harm from allowed drugs. This is completely unacceptable. On 27th April (Sunday) Labour sent out a press release/memo saying there was to be a formal communication about their legal highs policy on Monday, today. Within a few minutes, National had released their 'plan' to halt all sales.

The tesing vetting is to be done by the industry, not the government. I think the issue was they didn't put a time limit of the 41 'approved' highs such that the approval was only temporary. Why would you go though testing if you already have a legal product to sell - a 12m window would have been a good start.

It definately was politics in action. Should National have given Labour a quiet heads up that they were going to change it. Should they have let Labour steal their thunder and make it look like they were copying Labour, or did they give Labour a heads up and Labour tried to steal their thunder. I dont think they did tell labour, they probably should have but being election year can see why they didn't. I wonder if John Campbell would have honored a 2 week embargo if they told him playing on his 'champion for the community' trait.

[blackcap]

David telling lies again I see. Families know exactly who won valour medals. There is never any confusion.

[Sgt Pepper]

[QUOTE=belgarion;477771]http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=11246190

Seems the media really have it in for Cunliffe ... Such a trivial mistake and its front page news.

I know what you mean. John Key certainly gets a very easy ride from the media. Do you remember the TranzRail shares issue some years ago when JK , was being rather " economical with the truth" as to the amount of shares he owned, and allegations on other rmatters relating to this at the time. I found his evasiness somewhat disturbing and left me with a very uneasy feeling about someone who was about to become our Prime Minister in 2008.

[BlackPeter]

Looks like David tried to embellish an already good story to put himself in better light

Does get a little confused at times does our David

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...o-medal-muddle

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...o-medal-muddle

Come on ...

I am neither a Labour man nor do I like David Cunliffe in particular, but trying to hold against him that he managed to mix up the medals of 2 of his ancestors fighting in world war one and maybe not understanding the difference between a "war medal" and a "military medal" - I guess this is a mistake which could happen to anybody. I don't think that he claims to be a specialist on war medals? or military medals? or both?

In my view there are more important issues to determine whether he is the right man to run our country ...

[winner69]

A few weeks ago a newstalkzb announcer asked David why wont he appear on The Farming Show .... and Davids response was like I have an affinity with the farm, I worked in the freezing works during the university holidays'

Thought that was a rather odd response - not answering the question but giving the impression he was one of them? I don't know but it seemed odd

Don't think he has appeared on the Farming Show yet - doesn't like the front man of that

[Cuzzie]

Come on ...

I am neither a Labour man nor do I like David Cunliffe in particular, but trying to hold against him that he managed to mix up the medals of 2 of his ancestors fighting in world war one and maybe not understanding the difference between a "war medal" and a "military medal" - I guess this is a mistake which could happen to anybody. I don't think that he claims to be a specialist on war medals? or military medals? or both?

In my view there are more important issues to determine whether he is the right man to run our country ...

Nope, I wont except that, he is paid to know. Medals don't get mixed up, they don't in my family nor should they in David Cunliffe's family nor yours & if he is getting confused then he doesn't know the true history or didn't care. Totally unacceptable and I find cheep shoots at John Key due to D.Cs lack of stating the right thing - "appalling", but as that's just gutter talk, I do get satisfaction from feeling more pain from the left. D.C, you are a Womble.

[elZorro]

Nope, I wont except that, he is paid to know. Medals don't get mixed up, they don't in my family nor should they in David Cunliffe's family nor yours & if he is getting confused then he doesn't know the true history or didn't care. Totally unacceptable and I find cheep shoots at John Key due to D.Cs lack of stating the right thing - "appalling", but as that's just gutter talk, I do get satisfaction from feeling more pain from the left. D.C, you are a Womble.

Cuzzie, any idea why there are likely to be a team of National supporters hanging on every word David Cunliffe speaks, just to see if he makes the slightest mistake that they can feed to the press? National knows this election is going to be close, that's why. The voters are starting to ask about policy from both main camps, and let's face it, Labour has smarter policies. And they ran the country a whole lot better than National has been doing.

Where is the elusive budget surplus? Plans for the bright future? Jobs? Is the govt so toothless that they have to wait for an extremely burdened Christchurch City Council to come up with plans to temporarily fix one of their suburbs from flooding, or make a hard decision? The fact that an ex-Labour MP is now mayor, just shows National's callousness in election year. They would rather hang her council out to dry.

[fungus pudding]

Cuzzie, any idea why there are likely to be a team of National supporters hanging on every word David Cunliffe speaks, just to see if he makes the slightest mistake that they can feed to the press?

Because he's a politician, that's why. They all are exposed to this trivial nonsense once they get up the ladder in their party; sad but true.