If National wins ...

[Major von Tempsky]

I wonder how many more election losses before EZ pulls his head in :-)

It's a blood sport....

[nextbigthing]

As I'm a fan of CGT, I guess David Parker. Still researching.

el Z I know you said Cunliffe needed a chance as Helen was also unpopular at first. By that theory though Shearer should still be leader. And in my opinion it's a shame he isn't going to be for now at least. Out of all the possibilities, he was one that actually had potential.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...s-out-swinging

This is the most sense I've heard come out of the Labour camp in months.

Parker is obviously an onto it individual, but can he hack it in the debating chamber against Key etc? He hasn't featured in the news that much which may or may not be a good thing.

[fungus pudding]

el Z I know you said Cunliffe needed a chance as Helen was also unpopular at first. By that theory though Shearer should still be leader. And in my opinion it's a shame he isn't going to be for now at least. Out of all the possibilities, he was one that actually had potential.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...s-out-swinging

This is the most sense I've heard come out of the Labour camp in months.

Parker is obviously an onto it individual, but can he hack it in the debating chamber against Key etc? He hasn't featured in the news that much which may or may not be a good thing.

Parker (aka Wallace Rowling) might lead the Labour party if Little keeps making dopey statements like his female - Maori- deputy nonsense, but he will never win in a general election.

[nextbigthing]

Parker (aka Wallace Rowling) might lead the Labour party if Little keeps making dopey statements like his female - Maori- deputy nonsense, but he will never win in a general election.

Nope. Dopey statements like that will earn him respect in the Labour party, which is exactly what's wrong with it.

[fungus pudding]

As I'm a fan of CGT, I guess David Parker. Still researching.

Labour's prayers have been answered, and solves your problem too eZ. You can now support the real leader to emerge - Nanaia Mahuta. There may be the odd person who has never heard of her, but what the hell! There's bound to be some who have never heard of Barrack Obama, David Cameron or Elvis either.

[Sgt Pepper]

Parker (aka Wallace Rowling) might lead the Labour party if Little keeps making dopey statements like his female - Maori- deputy nonsense, but he will never win in a general election.

FP

re "AKA Wallace Rowling"

So I forgot Bill Rowling was on your I didn,t like list as well. Poor guy he was only PM very briefly after Norman Kirk died, so surely couldn't have done you too much damage. Died ( a not very nice death) from a brain tumour 20 years ago. Be nice

[fungus pudding]

FP

re "AKA Wallace Rowling"

So I forgot Bill Rowling was on your I didn,t like list as well. Poor guy he was only PM very briefly after Norman Kirk died, so surely couldn't have done you too much damage. Died ( a not very nice death) from a brain tumour 20 years ago.

No. he was the best thing that ever happened to me with his spec tax. Gave me a massive start in life - along with many others. I have never said I didn't like him. As a politician he was hopeless though. Known as the mouse. I could write a book on him. Poor fellow was teased mercilessly by Muldoon and particularly Bob Jones. Best interview was after delivering a budget. He was on TV with Muldoon and the interviewer explaining aspects of his budget - droning on and on. Interviewer turned to Muldoon and said 'what have you got to say to that Mr. Muldoon? Muldoon gave out one of his grunts and said - hmmmm don't know - I wasn't listening!
Brilliant.


P.S. If Parker gets any further he will be treated exactly as Wallace was - he's a carbon copy.

[elZorro]

Labour's prayers have been answered, and solves your problem too eZ. You can now support the real leader to emerge - Nanaia Mahuta. There may be the odd person who has never heard of her, but what the hell! There's bound to be some who have never heard of Barrack Obama, David Cameron or Elvis either.

As at 2008, just before the election:

First elected to Parliament in 1996 as a list MP, Mahuta is the daughter of late great Sir Robert Mahuta, best remembered for leading Tainui to its historic $170 million treaty settlement with the Crown. She is first cousin of Maori King Tuheitia Paki. Mahuta won the Te Tai Hauauru electorate in the 1999 elections, and took Tainui in 2002 keeping the seat in 2005.
She is Minister of Customs, Youth Affairs and Local Government, as well as Associate Minister for the Environment and Tourism.
With a list placing of No 10, Mahuta is certain of a return to the Beehive in the November 8 general election.

Nanaia is extremely well respected around here, and she works hard. This could be a test to see how the numbers go in the preferential voting.

[fungus pudding]

Nanaia is extremely well respected around here, and she works hard

Sounds like she'll fly in then.

[elZorro]

Sounds like she'll fly in then.

We'll have to wait and see. Good on her for giving it a go.

Bob Jones has written an article about the living wage which I'm sure you'll agree with FP.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/economy/ne...ectid=11341758

Despite being a businessman who talks to retailers a lot, I'm surprised that he was surprised, when his suggestion that a café could just increase their prices to make a better margin, and hence pay better wages or get more profit, was discounted. Real or imaginary, there is a real pressure on retailers who don't have anything super-special to offer. And of course, there are not as many customers as we'd like on incomes suitably high for lots of discretionary purchases.

This doesn't mean that NZ has to sit on its hands and let overseas trends clobber the retail sector. We need more people working, a growth in the pie from more profitable exports, we need a rejuvenated manufacturing base. And it would help if housing costs weren't such a big percentage of net income for most families.

I'm sure that like any businessman, Bob's interest in talking to retailers leasing from his commercial building stock, is to get a handle on how stable his rental income is going to be in the future. If he had to drop rents by 10%, then his portfolio value would also drop by 10% presumably. That's going to focus his attention.

Bob thinks people should upskill and go to higher paying jobs, to get ahead. I agree. It's how we motivate them to do that, and how we organise NZ so that the jobs are there, that needs sorting out too.