Labour govt 2020-23

[causecelebre]

All animals are created equal......but some are more equal than others

[Balance]

All animals are created equal......but some are more equal than others

Animal Farm : "4 legs good, 2 legs better."

[Valuegrowth]

One progressive step taken by the Labor government is introduction of Kiwi saver. Thanks to it I am owning my first home. It's also going to help me to save some money for my retirement or paying off remaining mortgage.

https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v67n4/v67n4p113.html

“Saving for Retirement

KiwiSaver was introduced to help New Zealanders save more for retirement. In March 2007, Finance Minister Michael Cullen stated that New Zealanders have one of the lowest household savings rates among the developed countries. Cullen (2007a) cited the New Zealand Reserve Bank estimates of current household savings rate at negative 17.5 percent. A March 2007 New Zealand Treasury study concluded that about 20 percent of the population aged 45–64 needs to save more for retirement, including about 9 percent of individuals and 13 percent of couples aged 55–65 (Hosking 2007)”

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/kiri-allan-trial-may-court-date-set-for-judge-alone-trial-after-driving-incident/Z7YOYCLWZJABNHMYYUGDHOTQDI/

Kiri Allan trial: May court date set for judge-alone trial after driving incident



She also spoke about the difficulty of having to publicly support a tougher stance on youth offenders, a rhetorical shift after Hipkins took over as prime minister from Jacinda Ardern.

[Balance]

One progressive step taken by the Labor government is introduction of Kiwi saver. Thanks to it I am owning my first home. It's also going to help me to save some money for my retirement or paying off remaining mortgage.

https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v67n4/v67n4p113.html

“Saving for Retirement

KiwiSaver was introduced to help New Zealanders save more for retirement. In March 2007, Finance Minister Michael Cullen stated that New Zealanders have one of the lowest household savings rates among the developed countries. Cullen (2007a) cited the New Zealand Reserve Bank estimates of current household savings rate at negative 17.5 percent. A March 2007 New Zealand Treasury study concluded that about 20 percent of the population aged 45–64 needs to save more for retirement, including about 9 percent of individuals and 13 percent of couples aged 55–65 (Hosking 2007)”

Unquestionably Kiwisaver is one of the best policies that any NZ government has implemented.

Many of us did not need it though to buy our first home and save for our retirement - this is where NZ education and economic settings have failed dismally to prepare most young NZers to save and invest properly.

[Balance]

Another Labour MP bites the dust :

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/labour-te-tai-tonga-mp-rino-tirikatene-retires-warns-te-iwi-maori-will-not-roll-over/7U2M76BFMFELPNXXOUOZJ6NFNI/

Meanwhile, Hipkins and Labour are all at sea after getting thrashed and kicked out last year :

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/labour-te-tai-tonga-mp-rino-tirikatene-retires-warns-te-iwi-maori-will-not-roll-over/7U2M76BFMFELPNXXOUOZJ6NFNI/
paywalled


As he took what is probably the first real holiday of his adult life, Labour leader Chris Hipkins may have felt an unfamiliar feeling: irrelevance.

Labour argued themselves into a corner on Māori policy last term. The party became a price-taker when it comes to Māori policy

Labour allowed Te Pāti Māori to be the arbiter of the ideal of Māori policy, the price-maker. Te Pāti Māori forced Labour to assume humbling position of offering a watered-down and electable version of whatever its small, nimble cousin can offer. Labour seemed not to understand that any party that got into a bidding war with Te Pāti Māori on Māori-related policy would lose.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/eD2BFUcf1IUyFUsML4EZdKUtpDQ=/1440x879/smart/filters:quality(70)/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/nzme/YVOMFEOBSJGSHKF4OOCNXN45SI.jpg

[Getty]

A mistake in the Herald story re Tirikatene.

Shanon Halbert is his replacement as McLellan is replacing Kelvin Davis.

[Blue Skies]

Unquestionably Kiwisaver is one of the best policies that any NZ government has implemented.

Many of us did not need it though to buy our first home and save for our retirement - this is where NZ education and economic settings have failed dismally to prepare most young NZers to save and invest properly.




From 1957- late 80's the average house price was 2 - 3x the average household income,
it's now over 10x the median household disposable income.

The average house (on a full section ) value in NZ was just $25,500 in December 1980.
Back in 1980, the starting salary out of school for even the most basic job was around $16,- $17,000 year.

[Getty]

From 1957- late 80's the average house price was 2 - 3x the average household income,
it's now over 10x the median household disposable income.

The average house (on a full section ) value in NZ was just $25,500 in December 1980.
Back in 1980, the starting salary out of school for even the most basic job was around $16,- $17,000 year.

Not factually correct BS.

In 1979 l was earning $3640 pa, so a school leaver did not earn $16k 1 year later.

My first home that year cost $19000.

[dobby41]

From 1957- late 80's the average house price was 2 - 3x the average household income,
it's now over 10x the median household disposable income.

Well, that will be fun when the RBNZ brings in a loan-to-income ratio of 6!
They have said that most loans are at or below 6 so how does it being over 10 factor in?

[FTG]

Back in 1980, the starting salary out of school for even the most basic job was around $16,- $17,000 year.

FACT CHECK - sadly, another fail for you BS.

The minimum wage (20+ yrs of age) was $2.03 per hour (circa $4k pa for a full timer).

The "most basic jobs" (on the adult minimum wage) didn't start earning $16-$17K pa until 2001.

[FTG]

Well, that will be fun when the RBNZ brings in a loan-to-income ratio of 6!
They have said that most loans are at or below 6 so how does it being over 10 factor in?

This may help...

A maximum DTI of 6x = the borrowers' total debt being no higher than 6 x Gross Income. DTI will be used to determine serviceability of the lending.

Whereas, measuring house prices ("Value") compared to household income, at say 10x, is just saying that the TOTAL value of the house (equity + debt) is 10x household income.

[Blue Skies]

FACT CHECK - sadly, another fail for you BS.

The minimum wage (20+ yrs of age) was $2.03 per hour (circa $4k pa for a full timer).

The "most basic jobs" (on the adult minimum wage) didn't start earning $16-$17K pa until 2001.





Your glee jumps right off the pages!
Wasn't talking about minimum wage, but happy to be corrected, average wage in 1979 was $8,164 but had soared to just under $15,000 by the early 80's.
Was just remembering my own experience, though coming out of uni, my first full time job didn't require a Degree with a starting salary of just over $15,000. Didn't seem that special or unusual.
Back in those days, there wasn't the huge differences in pay that we see today.

Anyway the point was, it was a hell of a lot easier to buy a house in those days than it is today.

[nztx]

Your glee jumps right off the pages!
Wasn't talking about minimum wage, but happy to be corrected, average wage in 1979 was $8,164 but had soared to just under $15,000 by the early 80's.
Was just remembering my own experience, though coming out of uni, my first full time job didn't require a Degree with a starting salary of just over $15,000. Didn't seem that special or unusual.
Back in those days, there wasn't the huge differences in pay that we see today.

Anyway the point was, it was a hell of a lot easier to buy a house in those days than it is today.


Dont even think most Freezing Works jobs paid anywhere near that at that time ;)

[Blue Skies]

Ok just out of interest here's a comparison of the, Top of Scale rate - which is what most were paid and was the basic rate for the job, salary for a secondary school teacher (admittedly higher than the ave wage but offers a good comparison ) versus house prices.

Teacher's salaries -

10 Nov 1980. $20,888
" 1981 $23,950
" 1985. $34,156
December 1987. $39,105

versus average NZ house price 1980 = $25,500
1987 = $88,900

A teacher in those days could easily afford a house, not so easy today.


https://www.ppta.org.nz/advice-and-issues/your-pay/secondary-school-teacher-salary-1980-2024/showall/

[iceman]

Ok just out of interest here's a comparison of the, Top of Scale rate - which is what most were paid and was the basic rate for the job, salary for a secondary school teacher (admittedly higher than the ave wage but offers a good comparison ) versus house prices.

Teacher's salaries -

10 Nov 1980. $20,888
" 1981 $23,950
" 1985. $34,156
December 1987. $39,105

versus average NZ house price 1980 = $25,500
1987 = $88,900

A teacher in those days could easily afford a house, not so easy today.


https://www.ppta.org.nz/advice-and-issues/your-pay/secondary-school-teacher-salary-1980-2024/showall/

You really are a desperate person. To support your argument, you pick teachers salaries for a period where they have fallen from being well paid to badly paid.
In the period you have picked, teachers have gone from equal starting salary to MPs (for example) to less than 1/3.

As others have pointed out, you’re simply wrong.

[Balance]

You really are a desperate person. To support your argument, you pick teachers salaries for a period where they have fallen from being well paid to badly paid.
In the period you have picked, teachers have gone from equal starting salary to MPs (for example) to less than 1/3.

As others have pointed out, you’re simply wrong.

To be expected from woke leftist losers like BS - caught out just like when Ardern used to get caught out with her lies and bs, they try to spin and change the narrative away from their initial bullshxt.

They still have not woken up to the reality that the country has wised up to them.

[Blue Skies]

You really are a desperate person. To support your argument, you pick teachers salaries for a period where they have fallen from being well paid to badly paid.
In the period you have picked, teachers have gone from equal starting salary to MPs (for example) to less than 1/3.

As others have pointed out, you’re simply wrong.



That's a very strange & personal response.

What I'm saying is back in the 80's, houses were far more affordable & within reach of someone like say a teacher than they are today.
That was true in 1980, and was also still true in 1987 even though house prices had risen as I've shown.

How is that 'wrong' ?
Look at the basic salary of a teacher today, versus today's average house price if you don't believe me.

[blackcap]

That's a very strange & personal response.

What I'm saying is back in the 80's, houses were far more affordable & within reach of someone like say a teacher than they are today.
That was true in 1980, and was also still true in 1987 even though house prices had risen as I've shown.

How is that 'wrong' ?
Look at the basic salary of a teacher today, versus today's average house price if you don't believe me.

You are picking teachers. Because it suits your agenda. I know my dad in the early 80's earnt something like $80 per week. He had an average job. That works out to $4,000 per annum. Not really that much is it. I know we struggled.

[stoploss]

You are picking teachers. Because it suits your agenda. I know my dad in the early 80's earnt something like $80 per week. He had an average job. That works out to $4,000 per annum. Not really that much is it. I know we struggled.
I started in a clerical role as a school leaver ( Dec 84)on $ 9500 PA. This went up to $ 12000 PA 6 months later . Are you sure those numbers are correct $ 2 an hour sounds a bit light .

[blackcap]

I started in a clerical role as a school leaver ( Dec 84)on $ 9500 PA. This went up to $ 12000 PA 6 months later . Are you sure those numbers are correct $ 2 an hour sounds a bit light .

My numbers are after tax, 1981.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/labours-foreign-affairs-spokesman-david-parker-contemplates-china/IBAN4WW3PJF7HNV2S7QYPXNQG4/

Labour’s foreign affairs spokesman David Parker contemplates China


Nosey Parker pops his Head up for a speil

May your little affair with Foreign Affairs in the shade bring you years of peaceful dreaming under your chair :)

Many may question what value if anything the taxpayer & public are likely to see out of it - Comrade ;)

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/china-evergrande-property-developer-ordered-to-liquidate-after-it-failed-to-reach-debt-deal/ICCAD2INIRA5NF2WJZ45LKL3OM/

China Evergrande property developer ordered to liquidate after it failed to reach debt deal

Large enough for size - seeing as one of NZ's Supermarkets hated by the Labour deadbeats has come out with a major write down & loss of value .. another hopeless baseless Labour witch hunt ;)

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/woolworths-slashes-70-per-cent-from-new-zealand-supermarkets-value/U7FQKGV3RJAZZLGD6YJQGJEAQU/

Woolworths slashes 70 per cent from New Zealand supermarkets’ value


At least another 4 terms ahead in the shade - Nosey Parker - perhaps long enough for you to develop a plan to tax Chinese from afar from your little bunker ? ;)

Let's face it - no-one is going to exactly miss any of the malcontents from the last 6 year Labour / Green coalition excuse any time soon ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/parnell-business-association-complains-about-kainga-ora-tenants-agency-hits-back/EDYNW52HX5GX5M6HL3FROH5EGE/

Parnell Business Association complains about criminal behaviour by Kāinga Ora tenants, agency hits back



Parnell businesses have complained about tenants from state housing agency Kāinga Ora committing criminal behaviour, citing robberies, intimidation and wilful damage.

But the Crown agency says it is up to the police and justice system to deal with incidents of crime and that it hasn’t had any complaints from the local business lobby group.

Cheryl Adamson, Parnell Business Association general manager, said her group had become so exasperated it had complained to ex-Prime Minister Sir Bill English, who is leading a Government inquiry into the Crown agency, and written to Housing Minister Chris Bishop, expressing concern about the lack of on-site management in at least two blocks.

Businesses in the Parnell area had suffered from the actions of tenants at the Cracroft and Bedford apartments in particular, she said.

“This includes break-ins, unruly behaviour, wilful damage, police hunts and even a power control room break-in. The list goes on,” she said today.

But John Tubberty, Kāinga Ora’s Auckland central and east regional director, said allegations of criminal wrongdoing were a matter for police to investigate.


Yet more bad sh&t going on out of the Past Clueless Govt's reign .. Ram Raiders - Gangs - Drugs - you name it -
all unmanaged by Labour and allowed to go running wild ;)


And Labour / Greens wonder why they got emptied out ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/oranga-tamariki-report-shows-more-children-harmed-in-its-care/DKLY5NKB7REY7JYGVQD7MPX2HE/

Oranga Tamariki report shows more children harmed in its care


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/investigation-finds-cabinet-paper-accidentally-leaked-from-oranga-tamariki-to-union-rep/6F7GMF4NOBGR5NNC6A5CQI2KDE/


A highly confidential Cabinet paper relating to the repeal of fair pay agreements was leaked by accident to a union representative by an Oranga Tamariki staffer, an investigation has found.



Chhour’s statement said the union source who received the document had assured Oranga Tamariki that the email was deleted.

The Herald has asked for further clarification on how it was leaked to media if the email was deleted.

“I have been assured by Oranga Tamariki chief executive Chappie Te Kani that the person responsible has been spoken to,” Chhour said.


Yet another frigging disaster sleepwalking it's way out of the Last Govt's unmanaged reign of a clueless shambles ;)


How is the Chief Executive still in his job ? Shouldn't he be down the road on this & the OT chapters of past failures ?;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/deeply-saddened-90-year-old-retailer-godfreys-enters-voluntary-administration/YW4DJLSL2BEWRPA4NSIOMFZKA4/

90-year-old retailer Godfreys enters voluntary administration


Sorry Suckers - another one bites the dust


A bit of the Left's deferred Coviditis symptoms and crashing the Economy they are saying is the cause:


Allen said the business was still suffering from the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic.



Like many retailers, we have been heavily impacted by consumer confidence and spending due to the economic era of high inflation, rising interest rates, and intense cost of living pressures,” Allen said.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/labour-uses-gif-of-influencer-andrew-tate-charged-with-rape-human-trafficking-to-endorse-instagram-post/ZXY7XDHYZBEF5JSSKPWVBK6CQE/

Labour uses GIF of influencer Andrew Tate charged with rape, human trafficking to endorse Instagram post



Labour has admitted to an error in using a GIF of divisive influencer Andrew Tate - a man charged with rape and human trafficking - to endorse a post on one of the party’s Instagram accounts.

The post, a reel, was put up on the Labour Māori caucus’ account last week. It featured a screenshot of a 1News article about Labour leader Chris Hipkins’ comments at Rātana.

It was complemented with a GIF, an animated image, of Tate accompanied by the word “Correct!”.



What a pack of clueless spinning numbskulls ;)

[Balance]

Meanwhile, Ardern continues to sap taxpayers' funds to promote brand Ardern :

https://marcspring.com/index.php/2024/01/30/the-ongoing-tax-payer-funded-upkeep-of-jacinda-ardern/

https://marcspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/gettyimages-1457525651-8ff10d553ec50e9e2be52ee665b53a80f5a9d107-scaled.jpg

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/nz-tax-system-is-fairer-than-widely-believed-despite-big-earners-rorting-top-rate-rejected-report-finds/E3TYHZRYYRFXFIXKHFR2IXBR7E/

NZ tax system is fairer than you think despite big earners rorting top rate, rejected report finds


Guess when this was produced & who it was that produced it ? ;)

[fungus pudding]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/nz-tax-system-is-fairer-than-widely-believed-despite-big-earners-rorting-top-rate-rejected-report-finds/E3TYHZRYYRFXFIXKHFR2IXBR7E/

NZ tax system is fairer than you think despite big earners rorting top rate, rejected report finds


Guess when this was produced & who it was that produced it ? ;)

What a good idea it isn't to post articles that most can't access.

[Bjauck]

Leftist interventions in pursuit of illusory ‘fairness’ invariably fall foul of the law of unintended consequences.
You do realise that there are many people on the political right who also believe fairness (access to the law, health or education) is a goal worth actively pursuing.

Sure it is a truism that just about every action and inaction has unintended consequences of some type and degree of impact.

[Bjauck]

The only things that are broken are what just got kicked to the kerb last year & not before time :)

… Only if you live in Long White Cloud Cuckoo Land. Labour gave up on fixing the difficult economic and social issues facing NZ and fixated on the racial ones. So time for a change.

[Bjauck]

From the rbnz inflation calculator:

*Since 2nd quarter 1981 wages have gone up 564%. However net after tax wages have probably gone up by less because of bracket creep.
*Housing costs have gone up a whopping 2203%.

I think continued further divergence of housing costs from after tax wage increases cannot continue for long.

Have deposit percentages dropped materially? Have the difference in interest rates been that great?

So, fewer single income households must be buying their first home. More Help from rich parents above the inflation rate since 1981? More incomes in general needed to buy the first home?

https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/monetary-policy/about-monetary-policy/inflation-calculator

[Panda-NZ-]

Who bought Sir John Key's house?

There's the answer.

[Balance]

Who bought Sir John Key's house?

There's the answer.

Labour banned foreign buyers from buying NZ properties from 2018.

Property prices rose by 53% from $694,133 in 2019 to $1,063,765 in 2021 - the fastest rise in property prices in 3 years according to QV NZ.

You are a fxxking arsehole, panda-nz for trying to stir up anti-Asian sentiment. Go fxxked yourself before you write that kind of racist crap again.

[Bjauck]

Who bought Sir John Key's house?

There's the answer. Rather than the RBNZ remit, the poor pension legislation and provision, and the prevailing fiscal and monetary environment?

BTW I read that The Ex-Key house remained unoccupied and was sold for a good profit (based on rumour as the sale price remained undisclosed) six years later last year. I guess that sums up what the NZ housing market has become.

Much of what happened to the Key mansion may just be rumour. Has anyone got the facts?

[fungus pudding]

Rather than the RBNZ remit, the poor pension legislation and provision, and the prevailing fiscal and monetary environment?

BTW I read that The Ex-Key house remained unoccupied and was sold for a good profit (based on rumour as the sale price remained undisclosed) six years later last year. I guess that sums up what the NZ housing market has become.

Much of what happened to the Key mansion may just be rumour. Has anyone got the facts?

Yes indeed. Someone has.

[Balance]

Rather than the RBNZ remit, the poor pension legislation and provision, and the prevailing fiscal and monetary environment?

BTW I read that The Ex-Key house remained unoccupied and was sold for a good profit (based on rumour as the sale price remained undisclosed) six years later last year. I guess that sums up what the NZ housing market has become.

Much of what happened to the Key mansion may just be rumour. Has anyone got the facts?

The buyer bought it for $23.5m in 2017 (settled in 2019) and sold it for $16.3m in 2023 after it was on the market for a while with no taker.

The real estate industry only likes to play up the gains to be made in the market, not the losses.

[Blue Skies]

Rather than the RBNZ remit, the poor pension legislation and provision, and the prevailing fiscal and monetary environment?

BTW I read that The Ex-Key house remained unoccupied and was sold for a good profit (based on rumour as the sale price remained undisclosed) six years later last year. I guess that sums up what the NZ housing market has become.

Much of what happened to the Key mansion may just be rumour. Has anyone got the facts?



Chinese businessman Mr Lianzhong Chen who paid approx $10 million more than its market value in a private sale, for a house he never even lived in, was the worst businessman in China's history. ;)

[Balance]

Chinese businessman Mr Lianzhong Chen who paid approx $10 million more than its market value in a private sale, for a house he never even lived in, was the worst businessman in China's history. ;)

Nothing compared to the Labour government under Ardern & Hipkins - eg. $228m for Auckland light rail without a single track laid. Then there’s the $76m for the bike bridge to nowhere. :t_up:

[jonu]

Chinese businessman Mr Lianzhong Chen who paid approx $10 million more than its market value in a private sale, for a house he never even lived in, was the worst businessman in China's history. ;)

Not if what Bjauck says is correct.

[Blue Skies]

Nothing compared to the Labour government under Ardern & Hipkins - eg. $228m for Auckland light rail without a single track laid. Then there’s the $76m for the bike bridge to nowhere. :t_up:


If you want to play that game, well that's a drop in the bucket compared to the $20 BILLION lost/better off we'll all be in National hadn't stuffed up by stopping contributions to the Super Fund. :(

[Balance]

If you want to play that game, well that's a drop in the bucket compared to the $20 BILLION lost/better off we'll all be in National hadn't stuffed up by stopping contributions to the Super Fund. :(

Priority, BS - borrowing money to invest may make sense to you just as Robertson borrowed $90 billion to pxss down the gutters in wasteful and reckless government spending.

Government money should always go into education, health and infrastructure as a matter of priority.

Something that woke leftists like you have no understanding - money grows on trees as far as Ardern, Hipkins, Robertson and you are concerned.

[777]

If you want to play that game, well that's a drop in the bucket compared to the $20 BILLION lost/better off we'll all be in National hadn't stuffed up by stopping contributions to the Super Fund. :(

At the time, in the early stages, they were paying higher interest to borrow money than what the contributions would have earned. However they should have restarted at some point. Remember what the funds purpose is though.

Who says it was a loss of $20 billion? Is it just a number you have dreamed up or has someone already quantified it.

[Blue Skies]

At the time, in the early stages, they were paying higher interest to borrow money than what the contributions would have earned. However they should have restarted at some point. Remember what the funds purpose is though.

Who says it was a loss of $20 billion? Is it just a number you have dreamed up or has someone already quantified it.




Yes its just a figure I dreamed up!
Don't be daft, it was widely reported across RNZ, Interest.co.nz, NZ Herald, Stuff etc if you follow any of them?

The Point I was making though, is the sheer futility of rehashing over & over again, previous govt's flaws which have already been covered in hundreds of posts & cartoons, every time someone posts an issue about the current govt.

Reminds me of the old school days & the irritating schoolboy never taking responsibility, always whining, but Sir he started it.





https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/72105340/stopped-contributions-cost-nz-super-fund-billions

[Balance]

Yes its just a figure I dreamed up!
Don't be daft, it was widely reported across RNZ, Interest.co.nz, NZ Herald, Stuff etc if you follow any of them?

The Point I was making though, is the sheer futility of rehashing over & over again, previous govt's flaws which have already been covered in hundreds of posts & cartoons, every time someone posts an issue about the current govt.

Reminds me of the old school days & the irritating schoolboy never taking responsibility, always whining, but Sir he started it.





https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/72105340/stopped-contributions-cost-nz-super-fund-billions

Huge assumption that SuperFund would have invested the additional funds (from borrowings and debts) successfully.

And of course leftists like you would love for us to forget what kind of government Labour was for the last 6 years, wouldn’t you? Useless, incompetent, spendthrift and without any integrity.

Well, not a chance because NZers need to be reminded not to trust Labour ever again with the reins of power so that they can ruin NZ ever more than they had.

[Bjauck]

Not if what Bjauck says is correct. Apologies for that post. Actually it seems it was incorrect. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/sir-john-keys-former-parnell-home-resale-of-mansion-loses-7m/KKM7NBNTFVDHBMRPEB37I6CL64/

The subsequent owner took quite a bath on the subsequent resale price. The Chinese businessman must have made his money somehow - but certainly not on Key's former property by the sounds of it.

[Daytr]

Huge assumption that SuperFund would have invested the additional funds (from borrowings and debts) successfully.

And of course leftists like you would love for us to forget what kind of government Labour was for the last 6 years, wouldn’t you? Useless, incompetent, spendthrift and without any integrity.

Well, not a chance because NZers need to be reminded not to trust Labour ever again with the reins of power so that they can ruin NZ ever more than they had.

Not a huge assumption at all. It's record is there for everyone to see. Stop making excuses for a very poor & short sighted decision.

[777]

Yes its just a figure I dreamed up!
Don't be daft, it was widely reported across RNZ, Interest.co.nz, NZ Herald, Stuff etc if you follow any of them?

The Point I was making though, is the sheer futility of rehashing over & over again, previous govt's flaws which have already been covered in hundreds of posts & cartoons, every time someone posts an issue about the current govt.

Reminds me of the old school days & the irritating schoolboy never taking responsibility, always whining, but Sir he started it.





https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/72105340/stopped-contributions-cost-nz-super-fund-billions

The $20 billion was not lost. It is just wasn't put in the fund. It was either not borrowed or any borrowed allocated elsewhere for the benefit of taxpayers.

https://nzsuperfund.nz/assets/Uploads/Media-Fact-Sheet-May-2022.pdf

[Balance]

If you want to play that game, well that's a drop in the bucket compared to the $20 BILLION lost/better off we'll all be in National hadn't stuffed up by stopping contributions to the Super Fund. :(

You are back to your Ardern inspired and indoctrinated spin and BS.

$20 billion lost/better off?

The number in the article you posted is $17.8 billion according to the FUND but $7.8 billion after taking off debt of $10 billion.

100,000 Kiwibuild homes again? 12,000 new houses built by Labour in 6 years? Spin, BS, lies and more lies.

It's 2024, Ardern & Hipkins & Labour have been turfed out for all the BS, incompetence and lies of theirs in the last 6 years.

Isn't it time you wake up and get real?



Yes its just a figure I dreamed up!
Don't be daft, it was widely reported across RNZ, Interest.co.nz, NZ Herald, Stuff etc if you follow any of them?

The Point I was making though, is the sheer futility of rehashing over & over again, previous govt's flaws which have already been covered in hundreds of posts & cartoons, every time someone posts an issue about the current govt.

Reminds me of the old school days & the irritating schoolboy never taking responsibility, always whining, but Sir he started it.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/72105340/stopped-contributions-cost-nz-super-fund-billions

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/buyer-for-insolvent-ruapehu-alpine-lifts-main-ski-field-walks-away/EFJDAHBHZ5HPHLQXSR4AKJA53I/

Buyer for insolvent Ruapehu Alpine Lifts’ main skifield walks away

[Paywalled]


No other takers or not insolvent enough for some who bow to the Mountain Gods in hope of dealing to
the DOC paper shufflers and pointy noses ? ;)

Probably yet another example of collateral damage left in tatters courtesy of Labour's Ardern/Robertson dreamworld ;)

[Panda-NZ-]

The $20 billion was not lost. It is just wasn't put in the fund. It was either not borrowed or any borrowed allocated elsewhere for the benefit of taxpayers.

https://nzsuperfund.nz/assets/Uploads/Media-Fact-Sheet-May-2022.pdf

Such as bribes for the 2014 and 2017 elections rather than taking a long term view.

[nztx]

Such as bribes for the 2014 and 2017 elections rather than taking a long term view.


Been six years of them incase you hadn't noticed, including some allegedly greasing up the Media ;)

[dobby41]

Huge assumption that SuperFund would have invested the additional funds (from borrowings and debts) successfully.


An assumption but not an unreasonable one given the funds' track record!
More forward-thinking than the lot that stopped the investment in the future.

[Panda-NZ-]

Been six years of them incase you hadn't noticed, including some allegedly greasing up the Media ;)


In case you hadn't noticed there's been a new one.

Tax cuts being offered with no explanation of how to pay for them.

[nztx]

In case you hadn't noticed there's been a new one.

Tax cuts being offered with no explanation of how to pay for them.


Beats encouragement the reverse way from the Labour No-Hopers in the form of tax anything left standing hard
to fill a gap & fund more mindless squandering & unproductive dribble and send things further down the dunny ;)


Six years of F-All to show for the last Labour / Greens reign & the economy in tatters on the way downhill .. God knows what a further term of that mob would have brought on all kiwis now ;)


Where's your mate Robbo hiding now ? .. Not a squeak out of him .. things must have been worse than desolate and heading further down ;)


It might have been a hard lesson - only being able to gut the Central Bank wholesale just once & then there's nothing left to try again without putting it back ;)


That's what happens when a Govt guts the economy & has no answers & very few further options other than to plunder & inflict more pain to cover for their own incompetence ..


Bl**dy taxes & hiked Fuel Levies etc etc coming out everyone's ears and an economy in freefall worse than Argentina's .. COL heading off the Wall & likely a Labour Govt tone deaf to the screams (A repeat of closing year of Clark's terms likely when ignore became the only response from Govt) that's likely what the Comrades had in store for this term before they got booted ;)


Fortunately the majority of Kiwi's didn't want a bar of Labour's looming peasant class existence on the way and decided we were better than what was very likely coming under the Clueless Labour / Green Duo ;)


Undoubtedly, the Party faithful must have thought it was party time .. but alas even that comes to a screeching halt sooner or later .. like the recent Party on Woolies until that got discovered :

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/everyday-rewards-woolworths-voucher-loophole-pays-for-booze-fuelled-party-and-trolleys-of-groceries/7XJSNFCHKFBEHGTGFPES564FTE/

[777]

In case you hadn't noticed there's been a new one.

Tax cuts being offered with no explanation of how to pay for them.

Why do they owe you an explanation? You are not so special. Controlled spending will cover the reduction in collected taxes.

[davflaws]

Why do they owe you an explanation? You are not so special. Controlled spending will cover the reduction in collected taxes.

Time for a few deep breaths. They don't owe Panda in particular an explanation and he didn't demand one. I don't think he can be fairly accused of believing he is special.

It seems to be quite reasonable to note that there has been no explanation of how they are to be funded, because in the absence of appropriate provision, tax cuts are inflationary.

You say they will be funded by controlled spending. It is also reasonable to ask what services wil be cut as spending is controlled.

Do you know?

[Panda-NZ-]

You say they will be funded by controlled spending. It is also reasonable to ask what services wil be cut as spending is controlled.


They are economic managers, they got this (.sarcasm).

[Balance]

They are economic managers, they got this (.sarcasm).

From panda-nz, the ignoramus peasant who wanted Ryman to do a share buyback when it was close to defaulting on its debt obligations. Try explaining that before you post anything.

[Balance]

Time for a few deep breaths. They don't owe Panda in particular an explanation and he didn't demand one. I don't think he can be fairly accused of believing he is special.

It seems to be quite reasonable to note that there has been no explanation of how they are to be funded, because in the absence of appropriate provision, tax cuts are inflationary.

You say they will be funded by controlled spending. It is also reasonable to ask what services wil be cut as spending is controlled.

Do you know?

Tax cuts are inflationary while rampant government wasteful spending is not? The last 3 years must have showed you what happens when an economic illiterate government (Ardern, Hipkins, Robertson & Maori cabal) splashes money like it is free.

Did you ever question Labour how it was funding its rampant wasteful inflationary spending?

If you did, show us and then, you may qualify to ask the above.

[777]

Time for a few deep breaths. They don't owe Panda in particular an explanation and he didn't demand one. I don't think he can be fairly accused of believing he is special.

It seems to be quite reasonable to note that there has been no explanation of how they are to be funded, because in the absence of appropriate provision, tax cuts are inflationary.

You say they will be funded by controlled spending. It is also reasonable to ask what services wil be cut as spending is controlled.

Do you know?

The Government does not have explain the details of everything they intend doing. They are certain they can work with the tax rate change so that is all the public needs to know. By not adjusting the brackets we have been ripped of for years. The USA adjust theirs every year. Finally we are moving ahead which is the opposite direction from where we would have gone with last bunch of morons.

[777]

They are economic managers, they got this (.sarcasm).

And the last lot were great. (.sarcasm).

[Blue Skies]

Why do they owe you an explanation? You are not so special. Controlled spending will cover the reduction in collected taxes.




The $14.6 Billion the govt has to find from somewhere for tax cuts is massive & it's recognised they are not going to find meaningful savings from anywhere else than cuts to the 3 big govt expenditures, Education, Health or Social Services.

To suggest controlled spending will cover the cost of tax cuts is politically naive, in that this would be a 1 term govt if it slashed $14.6 billion out of the budgets of Education, Health or Social services which are all crying out for more funding. e.g. PHARMAC needs an extra $400 million per year than what they get now - just to catch up with Australia or the UK, Education needs way more funding for new schools, classrooms, teachers, truancy services etc. benefits can't be reduced any further. ACT has promised to build new prisons as more people are going to prison with 3 strikes and stronger sentencing ,less home detentions.
The police Assoc are demanding a 30% pay rise to stop them leaving for Australia, & there's funding for 500 new police in next 2 years to keep our streets safe.

Auckland needs a new harbour crossing, the roads around the country are full of potholes, water infrastructure is crumbling, the Cook Strait ferries need replacing, we need to build new prisons to house the increased prison population this govt has promised plus extra staff needed, there's still so much cyclone damage to be paid for, the list is endless.

And what if/when we have another major event, another cyclone or what keeps some senior people in govt awake at night - another major earthquake cutting off a city like Wellington.

It's better to be realistic, there's no way in a million years the govt can afford these tax cuts while at the same time delivering what everyone can see the country desperately needs.
They were a straight-out election bribe.

[Balance]

Rubbish from BS as usual.


The $14.6 Billion the govt has to find from somewhere for tax cuts is massive & it's recognised they are not going to find meaningful savings from anywhere else than cuts to the 3 big govt expenditures, Education, Health or Social Services.

To suggest controlled spending will cover the cost of tax cuts is politically naive, in that this would be a 1 term govt if it slashed $14.6 billion out of the budgets of Education, Health or Social services which are all crying out for more funding. e.g. PHARMAC needs an extra $400 million per year than what they get now - just to catch up with Australia or the UK, Education needs way more funding for new schools, classrooms, teachers, truancy services etc. benefits can't be reduced any further. ACT has promised to build new prisons as more people are going to prison with 3 strikes and stronger sentencing ,less home detentions.

Auckland needs a new harbour crossing, the roads around the country are full of potholes, water infrastructure is crumbling, the Cook Strait ferries need replacing, we need to build new prisons to house the increased prison population this govt has promised plus extra staff needed, there's still so much cyclone damage to be paid for, the list is endless.

And what if/when we have another major event, another cyclone or what keeps some senior people in govt awake at night - another major earthquake cutting off a city like Wellington.

It's better to be realistic, there's no way in a million years the govt can afford these tax cuts while at the same time delivering what everyone can see the country desperately needs.
They were a straight-out election bribe.

Class A garbage as usual from BS.

[777]

Rubbish from BS as usual.



Class A garbage as usual from BS.

He is on my ignore list so I see the rubbish he posts only if quoted. As I say, I see it, but they are usually so long winded I don't waste my time reading them.

I

[Blue Skies]

He is on my ignore list so I see the rubbish he posts only if quoted. As I say, I see it, but they are usually so long winded I don't waste my time reading them.

I


For some, facing reality is just too difficult, but this govt just like the last will over promise & under deliver if it even lasts a full term.
Already we're seeing the next Deputy PM Seymour, seriously undermining Luxon, telling us not to believe/trust the PM's assurances, saying the PM lost his nerve at Waitangi, he got spooked, he'll change his mind etc.
Incredible!

[davflaws]

He is on my ignore list so I see the rubbish he posts only if quoted. As I say, I see it, but they are usually so long winded I don't waste my time reading them.

I
That's a shame - you might learn something.

But it seems that you find it easier to go along with Balance, and rather than engage with the arguments, just resort to ad hominem attacks. I guess that's ok if it floats your boat, but the boat still doesn't go anywhere.

[Balance]

That's a shame - you might learn something.

But it seems that you find it easier to go along with Balance, and rather than engage with the arguments, just resort to ad hominem attacks. I guess that's ok if it floats your boat, but the boat still doesn't go anywhere.

What is there to learn from you losers & Ardern devotees?

6 years of your ‘heroes’ in the Labour government leaving behind a toxic mix of crises and disasters for NZers.

Keep your garbage to yourselves.

[dobby41]

What is there to learn from you losers & Ardern devotees?

6 years of your ‘heroes’ in the Labour government leaving behind a toxic mix of crises and disasters for NZers.

Keep your garbage to yourselves.

Same old same old from unbalanced

Does not matter what I think.

[Balance]

Cindy may be clueless and useless but she is still the one source of truth.

Enjoy, dobby41.

[Daytr]

Gawd sakes are we at primary school in the playground?
The name calling and BS comments from both sides is ridiculous.
Balance being the bully ring leader as usual.
Grow up man! It really is pathetic.
You remind me of Cameron Slater & I guarantee you, that isn't a compliment.

[FTG]

Gawd sakes are we at primary school in the playground?
The name calling and BS comments from both sides is ridiculous.
Balance being the bully ring leader as usual.
Grow up man! It really is pathetic.
You remind me of Cameron Slater & I guarantee you, that isn't a compliment.

Pot. Kettle. Black.

[Balance]

After 6 years of Labour under Clueless Cindy & Hapless Hipkins, this is what buying a first home is now about :

https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/350179672/first-home-buyers-are-rich-people

Buying houses has become something only rich people do, one economist says, and it will take a combination of efforts to help fix the country’s housing issues.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/thousands-of-covid-19-vaccinators-being-contacted-after-personal-details-leaked/JXO6JOXGVNDM3O7VBYYJTNU7HQ/

Thousands of New Zealanders being contacted after personal details leaked in Covid-19 data breach



Te Whatu Ora is contacting 12,000 New Zealanders, some of whom worked as Covid-19 vaccinators, after their personal information was found to have been released in a data leak.

Chief executive Margie Apa said the information was made available on a downloadable file which was leaked to a US blogsite.

Former Te Whatu Ora employee Barry Young was arrested in December and charged with dishonestly taking health agency data and spreading it online. He pleaded not guilty and will reappear in court on February 23.

Apa said today the process of contacting every person who was affected had begun and while 12,000 have been identified so far, the number could continue to rise.


Yet more carnage coming out of Labour's Te Whatu Incompetent Empire Building Ph*ck Up orchestrated under Little's overseeing the NZ Health "They are Managing" not very well shambles ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/beggar-groups-travel-to-rotorua-to-make-up-to-400-a-day-from-generous-locals/QTRCFGRNPNFEBG3ZKN2NZSS7PQ/

Beggar groups travel to Rotorua to make up to $400 a day from ‘generous’ locals



must be some serious fast coin to be made in RotoBeggarCentral now ;)

Thanks Labour - but how many are paying tax on their Begging efforts ? :)

It almost makes the Beggars "Wealthy Pr!cks" as Labour referred to some sections of society & Non Taxpaying ones at that ;)

How could that silly Nosey Parker comrade have missed all this untaxed wealth being syphoned probably under Labour's noses too ? ;)

[Valuegrowth]

No body is 100% perfect. I think former top politicians like Helen clerk, Bill English, John key, Jacinda Arden, Chris Hipkins and Michael Cullen had good managing skills in their specialised areas and in few other areas.

[nztx]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350183184/labour-where-bloody-hell-are-ya

Labour, where the bloody hell are ya?



ANALYSIS: Yo, Labour Party! You literally have one job.

So where the bloody hell are ya?

Sure, it was a bruising drubbing on election night and sure, we get that you’re now grappling with a kind of existential ‘who the bloody hell are ya?’ question but for goodness sake, walk and chew gum at the same time people.



Eight press releases. Eight.

That’s all the Labour Party has released all year.

Compare that to the same period last year from National when they were in opposition - they’d released 33 press releases by now.

And before you go yelling about apples and oranges, cast back further to Jan-Feb 2021 when National MPs were licking their wounds from an even more severe electoral defeat in 2020.



Productive even when down and out, National put out 43 press releases in the same 2021 period in which Labour released eight.


So low is Labour’s public output that Stuff recently messaged their press team just double checking they hadn’t accidentally been dropped off the email distribution list.

What’s worse for Labour is that none of the eight releases have come from the actual Leader of the Opposition, Chris Hipkins.

Hipkins is making himself available in most of the usual ways, he’s present for the set piece media opportunities at parliament every week and shows up to question the Prime Minister at question time in the House.




Are what's left of Labour all still on holiday even now & all on full pay being shelled out from the coffers for this dismal performance ?


How's the hunt for a new Day Job going - Chipster ?

No joy or no-one want to know - not even the UN ? ;)

[iceman]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350183184/labour-where-bloody-hell-are-ya

[B]Labour, where the bloody hell are ya?[/B












Are what's left of Labour all still on holiday even now & all on full pay being shelled out from the coffers for this dismal performance ?


How's the hunt for a new Day Job going - Chipster ?

No joy or no-one want to know - not even the UN ? ;)

He certainly hasn’t been too busy. Hasn’t put out one press release so far this year

[Balance]

He certainly hasn’t been too busy. Hasn’t put out one press release so far this year

Hapless Hipkins - trapped in a job nobody else wants.

And knowing that he will be toast at the next election.

[Bill Smith]

He certainly hasn’t been too busy. Hasn’t put out one press release so far this year

That's a feature, not a defect. If they wait 3 years to put one out, it would still be too soon!

[Joshuatree]

He certainly hasn’t been too busy. Hasn’t put out one press release so far this year

No need atp.This Govt digging a deeper and deeper hole as it desperately drags funds from everywhere to make the irresponsible tax cuts.Carnage ahead.

[iceman]

No need atp.This Govt digging a deeper and deeper hole as it desperately drags funds from everywhere to make the irresponsible tax cuts.Carnage ahead.

That explains the favourable polls and approval ratings for the Coalition parties :-)

[Panda-NZ-]

No need atp.This Govt digging a deeper and deeper hole as it desperately drags funds from everywhere to make the irresponsible tax cuts.Carnage ahead.

Hard choices have to be made, Josh.

We need to take money from people who don't vote for us (beneficiaries), and give it to those who do (landlords).

[dobby41]

That explains the favourable polls and approval ratings for the Coalition parties :-)

Yip - tax cuts are always crowd pleasers even when they aren't the best (or even appropriate) thing to do.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/watch-christopher-luxon-on-state-of-the-nation-as-government-considers-tightening-migration-settings/6NG36TUM7VHOXOYSDC72F7A52I/

‘Absolute nonsense’: Chris Hipkins slams Christopher Luxon’s $200b hole claim



Hipkins said there was no hole in the plan, saying the former Government had been “very clear that as every Government has been, that [the plan] gets funded successively in three-year plans”.


The same humungous Transport hole that Labour were going to dump untold road taxes etc on all to cover ? ;)


What a silly disconnected spinning little twit ;)


It sounds very correct that Labour had orchestrated a Huge Financial hole with few options going ahead when this sort of thing comes out & the expected denials. What was Parker proposing before he got his cakehole jammed shut in a hurry before the election ? ;)


No wonder NZ Inc dumped Hipkins & Labour on seeing what was coming after chapters of incompetence ;)

[Blue Skies]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/watch-christopher-luxon-on-state-of-the-nation-as-government-considers-tightening-migration-settings/6NG36TUM7VHOXOYSDC72F7A52I/

‘Absolute nonsense’: Chris Hipkins slams Christopher Luxon’s $200b hole claim





The same humungous Transport hole that Labour were going to dump untold road taxes etc on all to cover ? ;)


What a silly disconnected spinning little twit ;)


It sounds very correct that Labour had orchestrated a Huge Financial hole with few options going ahead when this sort of thing comes out & the expected denials. What was Parker proposing before he got his cakehole jammed shut in a hurry before the election ? ;)


No wonder NZ Inc dumped Hipkins & Labour on seeing what was coming after chapters of incompetence ;)






The things you regularly tear into Labour for, are exactly the same things National have been guilty of.


Prior to the election just about every economist said National's numbers don't add up, they can't fund all the promises, & give tax cuts, but the great unwashed ignored the economists, instead eagerly swallowed the bait & now we're witnessing Luxon & Willis hard out back peddling, preparing voters to accept they won't be able to keep their promises.

e.g. the last National govt took exactly the same approach to funding land transport projects, & every govt before them for decades.
When Stephen Joyce made a list of projects during the last National govt, there was no detail on how they would be funded past the first few years either, just the same as Labour.
The $200 billion hole Luxon's talking about is funding for like to have projects way into the future.
Do you really think this coalition govt will not make its own plans for projects in the future which have all the details of how they will be funded already sorted!

Remember the advice about throwing stones in glasshouses.

[dobby41]

The $200 billion hole Luxon's talking about is funding for like to have projects way into the future.
Do you really think this coalition govt will not make its own plans for projects in the future which have all the details of how they will be funded already sorted!

Remember the advice about throwing stones in glasshouses.
This is the same as what National did prior to 2017 election.
Luxon playing politics as they have nothing to offer - hopefully 'yet' and they will come up with something positive.

[Balance]

Here's to all the Ardern's devotees :



Ardern in the USA: Harvard's Kennedy School should be using her as a Case Study of the Dangers of Charisma

Having left Kiwis the legacy of a cost-of-living crisis, falling education standards for our poorest children & racial division, former PM Ardern is now shacked up in the Kennedy School at Harvard University, enjoying the pleasures of being on the receiving end of the University's $US 60 billion endowment. She recently gave a rousing speech there, saying the secret to great government policy is to "bring in the public". Did the out-of-touch Harvard folks not hear about the landslide defeat her Labour Party just suffered because it was hard to find anyone she brought with her? Nearly every policy she enacted has been reversed these past months because the public slam-dunk rejected them.

Ardern frequently attacked the 1980s market reforms of Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble & company, saying they had not brought in the public & were a disaster. Yet those reforms, be it an independent Central Bank, lower personal income tax rates, GST, elimination of farmer subsidies, floating dollar & more, are still in place 40 years later - whereas it's hard to find a single Ardern "reform" still there one year after she left office. Her government turned the vaccinated against the unvaccinated; Māori against non-Māori; rich against poor; farmer against environmentalist. Her motto became "divide & conquer"; not "bring in the public". Big Media are desperate to paint Luxon, Seymour & Peters as dividers. But we, the people, know the truth. The seeds of division were laid and cultivated by Ardern.

Harvard's Kennedy School of blah-blah should be ashamed of itself for becoming a place that jumps on bubbles, even after they've burst, where the faculty hire former politicians whose partisan views align with their own. Its seminars now resemble group therapy sessions, lacking in academic integrity. The School is not searching for the truth, which is meant to be the ethos of a university. So what was the lesson of Ardern's time in politics? She was perhaps the most charismatic leader NZ has ever known - a Case Study of a long line of world politicians who've led their country to ruin yet for a time were wildly embraced by the public due to their charisma. She relied on (terrible) advice & saw her job as "selling it to the public", which she did with extraordinary talent. But that advice led to never-ending lockdowns even after most of our population were vaccinated (because Prof. Michael Baker advised elimination was "sustainable"), spiraling debt, more monopolies, unaffordable prices and inflation. Ardern gained personal mojo & success - yet cost the nation its mojo & success. We must regain it fast and get back to where we once belonged.

Opinion of :

Professor Robert MacCulloch holds the Matthew S. Abel Chair of Macroeconomics at Auckland University. He has previously worked at the Reserve Bank, Oxford University, and the London School of Economics.

[Balance]

That explains the favourable polls and approval ratings for the Coalition parties :-)

Latest TV1 Poll :

National 38% +1%
Labour 28%
Greens 12% -2%
ACT 8% -1%
NZF 6%
TMP 4% +2%
TOP 2%

And here's big move :

Hapless Hipkins 15% (down 10%)

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1692825766225-T6Z4EH6C5584E47R8N0T/Lame+Duck.jpg?format=500w

[777]

National is 38%.

[Balance]

National is 38%.

Thanks for correction.

[mistaTea]

Here's to all the Ardern's devotees :



Ardern in the USA: Harvard's Kennedy School should be using her as a Case Study of the Dangers of Charisma

Having left Kiwis the legacy of a cost-of-living crisis, falling education standards for our poorest children & racial division, former PM Ardern is now shacked up in the Kennedy School at Harvard University, enjoying the pleasures of being on the receiving end of the University's $US 60 billion endowment. She recently gave a rousing speech there, saying the secret to great government policy is to "bring in the public". Did the out-of-touch Harvard folks not hear about the landslide defeat her Labour Party just suffered because it was hard to find anyone she brought with her? Nearly every policy she enacted has been reversed these past months because the public slam-dunk rejected them.

Ardern frequently attacked the 1980s market reforms of Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble & company, saying they had not brought in the public & were a disaster. Yet those reforms, be it an independent Central Bank, lower personal income tax rates, GST, elimination of farmer subsidies, floating dollar & more, are still in place 40 years later - whereas it's hard to find a single Ardern "reform" still there one year after she left office. Her government turned the vaccinated against the unvaccinated; Māori against non-Māori; rich against poor; farmer against environmentalist. Her motto became "divide & conquer"; not "bring in the public". Big Media are desperate to paint Luxon, Seymour & Peters as dividers. But we, the people, know the truth. The seeds of division were laid and cultivated by Ardern.

Harvard's Kennedy School of blah-blah should be ashamed of itself for becoming a place that jumps on bubbles, even after they've burst, where the faculty hire former politicians whose partisan views align with their own. Its seminars now resemble group therapy sessions, lacking in academic integrity. The School is not searching for the truth, which is meant to be the ethos of a university. So what was the lesson of Ardern's time in politics? She was perhaps the most charismatic leader NZ has ever known - a Case Study of a long line of world politicians who've led their country to ruin yet for a time were wildly embraced by the public due to their charisma. She relied on (terrible) advice & saw her job as "selling it to the public", which she did with extraordinary talent. But that advice led to never-ending lockdowns even after most of our population were vaccinated (because Prof. Michael Baker advised elimination was "sustainable"), spiraling debt, more monopolies, unaffordable prices and inflation. Ardern gained personal mojo & success - yet cost the nation its mojo & success. We must regain it fast and get back to where we once belonged.

Opinion of :

Professor Robert MacCulloch holds the Matthew S. Abel Chair of Macroeconomics at Auckland University. He has previously worked at the Reserve Bank, Oxford University, and the London School of Economics.

Man, that has got to be one of the most epic takedowns I have read in a long time.

Thanks for sharing.

[Baa_Baa]

Here's to all the Ardern's devotees :



Ardern in the USA: Harvard's Kennedy School should be using her as a Case Study of the Dangers of Charisma

Having left Kiwis the legacy of a cost-of-living crisis, falling education standards for our poorest children & racial division, former PM Ardern is now shacked up in the Kennedy School at Harvard University, enjoying the pleasures of being on the receiving end of the University's $US 60 billion endowment. She recently gave a rousing speech there, saying the secret to great government policy is to "bring in the public". Did the out-of-touch Harvard folks not hear about the landslide defeat her Labour Party just suffered because it was hard to find anyone she brought with her? Nearly every policy she enacted has been reversed these past months because the public slam-dunk rejected them.

Ardern frequently attacked the 1980s market reforms of Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble & company, saying they had not brought in the public & were a disaster. Yet those reforms, be it an independent Central Bank, lower personal income tax rates, GST, elimination of farmer subsidies, floating dollar & more, are still in place 40 years later - whereas it's hard to find a single Ardern "reform" still there one year after she left office. Her government turned the vaccinated against the unvaccinated; Māori against non-Māori; rich against poor; farmer against environmentalist. Her motto became "divide & conquer"; not "bring in the public". Big Media are desperate to paint Luxon, Seymour & Peters as dividers. But we, the people, know the truth. The seeds of division were laid and cultivated by Ardern.

Harvard's Kennedy School of blah-blah should be ashamed of itself for becoming a place that jumps on bubbles, even after they've burst, where the faculty hire former politicians whose partisan views align with their own. Its seminars now resemble group therapy sessions, lacking in academic integrity. The School is not searching for the truth, which is meant to be the ethos of a university. So what was the lesson of Ardern's time in politics? She was perhaps the most charismatic leader NZ has ever known - a Case Study of a long line of world politicians who've led their country to ruin yet for a time were wildly embraced by the public due to their charisma. She relied on (terrible) advice & saw her job as "selling it to the public", which she did with extraordinary talent. But that advice led to never-ending lockdowns even after most of our population were vaccinated (because Prof. Michael Baker advised elimination was "sustainable"), spiraling debt, more monopolies, unaffordable prices and inflation. Ardern gained personal mojo & success - yet cost the nation its mojo & success. We must regain it fast and get back to where we once belonged.

Opinion of :

Professor Robert MacCulloch holds the Matthew S. Abel Chair of Macroeconomics at Auckland University. He has previously worked at the Reserve Bank, Oxford University, and the London School of Economics.

Thanks for posting this.

"But we, the people, know the truth."

[Balance]

Man, that has got to be one of the most epic takedowns I have read in a long time.

Thanks for sharing.

And we still have posters here defending Ardern after the hatchet job she did on NZ.

None as blind as those with eyes who will not see.

[mistaTea]

And we still have posters here defending Ardern after the hatchet job she did on NZ.

None as blind as those with eyes who will not see.

There are always those who will support Labour no matter what.

Just like there are those who will support National no matter what.

No objectivity - just wedded to the Party and, in some cases, confuse their own identity with the chosen party.

When this happens, objective and rational thought is not possible and they will clutch at anything to defend their identity (the Party) no matter how ridiculous they sound and appear to everyone else.

[Baa_Baa]

There are always those who will support Labour no matter what.

Just like there are those who will support National no matter what.

No objectivity - just wedded to the Party and, in some cases, confuse their own identity with the chosen party.

When this happens, objective and rational thought is not possible and they will clutch at anything to defend their identity (the Party) no matter how ridiculous they sound and appear to everyone else.

They've moved on though, you'll notice that none of them defend the failed Labour policies, most of them never even tried to, they have shifted now to attacking the coalition policies, as all good oppositions should. Pity Labour themselves haven't found their voice yet.

Time has proven that the Labour policies, and fortunately (absurdly) their abject inability to implement most of them just sustained the disfunction, but perversely wasted untold billions of taxpayer $ in trying to doing so.

This monumental Labour mess is going to take a herculean effort to fix up, some of it might not even be fixable in the 3 year term of government. Hopefully the lessons of being duped by Labour and some wins from the coalition, will secure at least a second term for the incumbents.

[mistaTea]

They've moved on though, you'll notice that none of them defend the failed Labour policies, most of them never even tried to, they have shifted now to attacking the coalition policies, as all good oppositions should. Pity Labour themselves haven't found their voice yet.

Time has proven that the Labour policies, and fortunately (absurdly) their abject inability to implement most of them just sustained the disfunction, but perversely wasted untold billions of taxpayer $ in trying to doing so.

This monumental Labour mess is going to take a herculean effort to fix up, some of it might not even be fixable in the 3 year term of government. Hopefully the lessons of being duped by Labour and some wins from the coalition, will secure at least a second term for the incumbents.

Good points.

If the NZ public put Labour back in power at the next election then we, as a country, deserve everything we get.

It would be shocking.

Provided the current coalition don’t do anything too nutty in the next couple of years I would think they are virtually guaranteed a second term after what Labour did the previous 6 years.

Labour will be forgiven in time - but I think they will need sit in opposition for at least one more term if not more.

[Panda-NZ-]

National only won because of the 20 bucks a week and Winston.

[ynot]

National only won because of the 20 bucks a week and Winston..

And 2 terms of appalling governance from Labour.

[mistaTea]

.

And 2 terms of appalling governance from Labour.

Yeah. People didn’t vote for National because of any spectacular policy position.

They just wanted Labour out.

[Balance]

And zero coverage from MSM of this ruling from the Court of Appeal yesterday :

Why? Is it because the woke leftists in the MSM are so embarrassed by their unqualified & enthusiastic hysterical support of Ardern's COVID response?

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/nzdf-covid-mandate-ruled-unlawful-by-court-of-appeal/

" ..... the Court of Appeal has upheld an appeal by members of the New Zealand Defence Force and decided that the Defence Force's workplace Covid-19 vaccination mandate is unlawful."

https://www.rebelnews.com/nz_court_declares_defence_force_vaccine_mandate_un lawful

" ..... the Court of Appeal in New Zealand has sided with members of the Defence Force, deeming the mandate for Covid-19 vaccination at workplaces unlawful."

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GGrYBPBbMAAG_PB?format=jpg&name=medium

[Balance]

Grant Robertson tipped to quit next week - good riddance to garbage and to one of the most useless lying hypocritical finance ministers ever.

Pxssed off, Robertson before more revelations of just how big an economic arsehole you really are for the hatchet & wretched job you did to NZ finances.

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/labour-reshuffle-grant-robertston-tipped-quit

Matter of time now before the last of the Ardern troika of fakes, Hapless Hipkins, quit too.

[mistaTea]

And zero coverage from MSM of this ruling from the Court of Appeal yesterday :

Why? Is it because the woke leftists in the MSM are so embarrassed by their unqualified & enthusiastic hysterical support of Ardern's COVID response?

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/nzdf-covid-mandate-ruled-unlawful-by-court-of-appeal/

" ..... the Court of Appeal has upheld an appeal by members of the New Zealand Defence Force and decided that the Defence Force's workplace Covid-19 vaccination mandate is unlawful."

https://www.rebelnews.com/nz_court_declares_defence_force_vaccine_mandate_un lawful

" ..... the Court of Appeal in New Zealand has sided with members of the Defence Force, deeming the mandate for Covid-19 vaccination at workplaces unlawful."

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GGrYBPBbMAAG_PB?format=jpg&name=medium

Mate I am actually stunned.

I have been searching all over the web and can only find the news talk article you shared too.

I can’t believe the MSM are not all over this. How can they not report on an important story like this and not expect people to turn away from them as a source of news?

Instead the front page has whinging about the dole sanctions and now Grant resigning.

Well, the latter is a good news story I suppose.

[Balance]

Mate I am actually stunned.

I have been searching all over the web and can only find the news talk article you shared too.

I can’t believe the MSM are not all over this. How can they not report on an important story like this and not expect people to turn away from them as a source of news?

Instead the front page has whinging about the dole sanctions and now Grant resigning.

Well, the latter is a good news story I suppose.

Shows how easily the MSM have been bought by Ardern’s $55m bribe.

Independence of the fourth estate in NZ & freedom of information - kiss my arse.

[blackcap]

Mate I am actually stunned.

I have been searching all over the web and can only find the news talk article you shared too.

I can’t believe the MSM are not all over this. How can they not report on an important story like this and not expect people to turn away from them as a source of news?

Instead the front page has whinging about the dole sanctions and now Grant resigning.

Well, the latter is a good news story I suppose.

That is why I keep saying that the MSM is actually fake news. Not in what they report per se, but what they don't report. They conveniently tried to bury the farmers protests in Europe as well. They were/are huge. But nary a peep over here.
I have alternative, more informed news sources these days. It will not be long before the MSM is totally gone.

[Balance]

That is why I keep saying that the MSM is actually fake news. Not in what they report per se, but what they don't report. They conveniently tried to bury the farmers protests in Europe as well. They were/are huge. But nary a peep over here.
I have alternative, more informed news sources these days. It will not be long before the MSM is totally gone.

Stuff will be the first to go and that cannot be too far away.

Good riddance to garbage.

[mistaTea]

Just published by NZDF...

https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/media-centre/news/update-on-recent-court-of-appeal-ruling/

Story still not picked up by NZH, Stuff or RNZ.

Scoop published the ACT Press Release (https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2402/S00053/nzdfs-unlawful-covid-mandate-shows-need-to-open-up-royal-commission.htm).

[nztx]

Stuff will be the first to go and that cannot be too far away.

Good riddance to garbage.



Need only look at what the recent revamp to their site brought - if that's an improvement
then the developers behind the changes and drab light blue splat must be worse than blind ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/wairarapa-trains-delayed-for-months-due-to-track-error-wellington-trains-facing-more-heat-delays/5DNDYRYTQNEU7HA55A63BL7NZI/

Wairarapa trains delayed for months due to track error, Wellington trains facing more heat delays


Yet more Rail F-Ups out of Kiwi Fail ;)


The same bunch of halfwits who couldn't get a handle playing with ferries without things
blowing out to h4ll financially ? ;)


They had free reign during Labour,'s reign additional top ups into the pot and still goofed things up ;)

How many centuries have this outfit been operating now .. to now pull off this sort of show stopping comedy of c*ck ups ? ;)

[Balance]

Shocking revelation about Robbo :

https://marcspring.com/index.php/2023/06/07/grant-robertson-and-his-instagram/

So just what is “Cute boys of the Philippines?”

Well that is simple, its an Instagram account with risqué pics of what appears to be young boys. Now before you go silly, the age of those kids in the images has not been verified, but to an average person they appear to be rather young.

[dobby41]

Shocking revelation about Robbo :

https://marcspring.com/index.php/202...his-instagram/

So just what is “Cute boys of the Philippines?”

Well that is simple, its an Instagram account with risqué pics of what appears to be young boys. Now before you go silly, the age of those kids in the images has not been verified, but to an average person they appear to be rather young.

Page doesn't exist - maybe it isn't real but that would suit a liar like yourself.

[thegreatestben]

Works for me.
Illuminating haha.

[Balance]

Works for me.
Illuminating haha.

It's a shocker and the MSM (as with James Shaw's fake degree) pretended the situation did not exist.

https://marcspring.com/index.php/2023/06/07/grant-robertson-and-his-instagram/

So just what is “Cute boys of the Philippines?”

Well that is simple, its an Instagram account with risqué pics of what appears to be young boys. Now before you go silly, the age of those kids in the images has not been verified, but to an average person they appear to be rather young.

Clearly it raises some questions about what the Finance Minister of NZ, Grant Robertson is viewing in his spare time, or even more concerning, while conducting business on behalf of the NZ tax payers.

The MSM in NZ have chosen to ignore this story, but yet they with glee report on other similar stories. So surely if our main stream media was reporting in a fair, and balanced manner, then this story should have been news.

But, as we know since this current Labour government pumped plenty of tax payers cash into the failing NZ media entities to spread the Covid message, they seem to have also purchased some silence, and bought favour.

The response letter from Grant Robertson is interesting, and concerning – Robertson says the Instagram account is not held in his ‘Ministerial’ capacity, so therefore its not subject to the Official Information Act 1982. So what we know is that is his personal account. WOW.

Yet, when you check out the Instagram account ‘bio’ of grantrobertsonmp you can that its authorised by Rob Salmond, 187 Featherston Street, WGTN, with a further address of 220 Wilis Street, Wellington, New Zealand.

So why is Rob Salmond authorising a private account?

A quick check of Grant Robertson’s instagram account shows he deleted the ‘cute boys of Philippines’ page.

What we know is that Robertson has since deleted following that particular page, but that does excuse the fact he was looking, nor has he given a plausible answer as to why he was.

This site thought that the reply would be to blame a staffer who has access to his Instagram, but that has not happened either.

https://scontent.fakl1-3.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/120159147_1918277561648107_3892584665026663870_n.j pg?stp=dst-jpg_p526x296&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=dd63ad&_nc_ohc=_0sE_50FPK4AX-OzXnQ&_nc_ht=scontent.fakl1-3.fna&oh=00_AfCilJBI1WhPgEvkrBvvsn_hr74HzDsmUiBC6QT1AK7c oA&oe=65FCB252

[iceman]

An executive from the Education Ministry has told a select committee at Parliament that the "First year fee free scheme" showed absolutely "no discernible evidence that it changed the numbers of students starting University studies nor distribution of decile entries".
So now we have a proof that once again a Labour Party stupid and expensive policy, around $ 2.5 Billion, achieved absolutely zero.

Another great example is the executives of Three Waters that were hired last year at $ 710k each, have a 6 months redundancy clause in their contracts. What an utterly incompetent lot of idiots that Government was. I wonder how many months of redundancy Robertson negotiated in his contract.

[Panda-NZ-]

It was a strong economy under Labour so people didn't see the need to get a bachelors or higher qualification.

The apprenticeship scheme was a stunning success though that's praised by all sides. :)

[Balance]

It was a strong economy under Labour so people didn't see the need to get a bachelors or higher qualification.

The apprenticeship scheme was a stunning success though, praised by all sides.

From the ignoramus peasant panda-nz who blamed the record immigration numbers in the last year on the current government.

And who wanted Ryman to do a share buyback using more debt when it was close to defaulting on its debts.

[ynot]

Ginny Anderson, the latest lefty mp to demonstrate her true nature. Last year accused of being abusive toward staff, yesterday making false accusations against Mark Mitchel.
The rate Labour MP's are self destructing / quittng is impressive.

[Panda-NZ-]

Grant was a necessary loss (he didn't have appeal outside wellington central). Though now he's helping to fill bright young minds with progressive ideas.

Edmonds is even more qualified that Nicola Willis for the finance role.

[Balance]

Grant was a necessary loss (he didn't have appeal outside wellington central). Though now he's helping to fill bright young minds with progressive ideas.

Edmonds is even more qualified that Nicola Willis for the finance role.

Yes, Grant must be so looking forward to be amongst the young boys and young men in Otago University. Get the picture?

[Panda-NZ-]

If he was straight would you make the same comments?
Balance, alongside everything else, seems rather homophobic.

[ynot]

If he was straight would you make the same comments?
Balance, alongside everything else, seems rather homophobic.

Are you suggesting his obsession for young boys is acceptable ?

[Balance]

Are you suggesting his obsession for young boys is acceptable ?

First Grant was caught following the site "Cute boys of the Philippines' and when he was asked, said it was a personal account (with mp after his name?)

and

then, he deleted the site from the sites he follows and obviously, gets updated with pictures, photos etc.

Only reason he was not forced to resign last year is because of the complicity of the MSM in covering up the misdeeds of leftists like Grant and James Shaw.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shocking revelation about Robbo :

https://marcspring.com/index.php/2023/06/07/grant-robertson-and-his-instagram/

So just what is “Cute boys of the Philippines?”

Well that is simple, its an Instagram account with risqué pics of what appears to be young boys. Now before you go silly, the age of those kids in the images has not been verified, but to an average person they appear to be rather young.

https://www.instagram.com/cuteboyphilippines/?hl=en

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRZSURByBROQjbXgtifOyy98lBoQvLPF 6dhhD7dUtFP0Q&s
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Panda-nz, on what basis are you excusing Grant's disgusting behavour?

[nztx]

Grant was a necessary loss (he didn't have appeal outside wellington central). Though now he's helping to fill bright young minds with progressive ideas.

Edmonds is even more qualified that Nicola Willis for the finance role.


Not exactly what the media are portraying though is it ?

What size shoes is she ? ;)

Surrounded by a bunch of biffed out clueless ideas bankrupt nincompoops .. bound to end well ;)

Bound to be challenged when it comes to explaining why Robbo's Grand Bank Robbery Ploys and run the Economy into the ditch then run away fast was not the right strategy.. to even be noticed :)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/where-does-grant-robertsons-exit-leave-labour-the-front-page/LRMEC3I2DRFO5GGSGZMBCFZQOM/

Where does Grant Robertson’s exit leave Labour? - The Front Page


Any guesses on the next Rat(s) to jump off the sinking submarine ? ;)



“It was Grant and Jacinda who more or less told caucus that Hipkins was the best option and both of them have now left.”




If Hipkins can’t eventually lift the party vote then things could start to heat up, Trevett said.

“I would guess that he’s hoping he can turn things around and still thinks that maybe he can.”




What's the sound of a Circus where all the Clowns have turned and run away ? ;)

[davflaws]

Are you suggesting his obsession for young boys is acceptable ?

The images I saw when I clicked on the link were perfectly acceptable to me and imo fell well inside what is legally acceptable. To describe GR's following the site as evidence that he has an 'obsession with young boys' says as much about you as it does GR.

Balance's disgust, obsession with arse licking and kissing, and characterising Trump as 'the fornicator' (rather than identifying any other of his 273 other malfeasances) is similarly telling.

[Getty]

Re Grant Robertson and his Filipino friends.

Is Alf still in the picture or has he been replaced by the pictures?

[ynot]

The images I saw when I clicked on the link were perfectly acceptable to me and imo fell well inside what is legally acceptable. To describe GR's following the site as evidence that he has an 'obsession with young boys' says as much about you as it does GR.

Balance's disgust, obsession with arse licking and kissing, and characterising Trump as 'the fornicator' (rather than identifying any other of his 273 other malfeasances) is similarly telling.

ok, enjoy.

[Panda-NZ-]

Balance's disgust, obsession with arse licking and kissing, and characterising Trump as 'the fornicator' (rather than identifying any other of his 273 other malfeasances) is similarly telling.

He talks about maori's alot too.. he must have a kink there. All those underprivileged young maori boys who want to replace his culture.. must be a turn on for him.

[Getty]

He talks about maori's alot too.. he must have a kink there. All those underprivileged young maori boys who want to replace his culture.. must be a turn on for him.

Underprivileged?

Please name all the privileges they are missing out on in 2024?

[Blue Skies]

An executive from the Education Ministry has told a select committee at Parliament that the "First year fee free scheme" showed absolutely "no discernible evidence that it changed the numbers of students starting University studies nor distribution of decile entries".
So now we have a proof that once again a Labour Party stupid and expensive policy, around $ 2.5 Billion, achieved absolutely zero.

Another great example is the executives of Three Waters that were hired last year at $ 710k each, have a 6 months redundancy clause in their contracts. What an utterly incompetent lot of idiots that Government was. I wonder how many months of redundancy Robertson negotiated in his contract.




This is worth a closer look.
The First year Fees free scheme was a response by Labour to halt the declining numbers of young people going on to higher education in this country.
Under the National govt between the years 2014 - 2017 young people enrolling at universities was in steady decline, with a drop of just over 10,000 students.
Similarly the number of apprentices also declining when we had long term skills shortages in many industries.
This despite a relatively benign environment.
National talk a lot about education but when it comes to actually doing anything like paying teachers enough, fixing up leaking classrooms or cutting class sizes, feeding hungry students, providing free Period products etc, have a poor record.

Anyway the First year fees free, introduced in January 2018 did halt the trend of steadily declining numbers, but was suspended in 2020 because of the Covid Pandemic.
Prior to this last election National who had criticised it said they would keep it, but ACT campaigned on abolishing it.
Cost was identified as a barrier to higher education for many.


So I thinks its a bit harsh to say it was proof of a stupid & expensive Labour policy which achieved absolutely zero.


Should just add, Teachers after years of being a severely underpaid profession by National with paltry pay increases with a figure starting with 1 or 2 % , have been given record pay increases under Labour 8.07% 2020, 3.45% 2021, 6% 2023.

[Balance]

The evidence is in - after 6 years of Ardern, Hipkins and the Labour Government, child poverty is up.

"The 2023 child poverty statistics are out, and they show slightly more children living in material hardship than in 2017. So six years of Ardern, Hipkins and Robertson saw no actual progress, while four years of key, english and Joyce saw 60,000 fewer kids living in material hardship - this is all data from Stats NZ."

And that's after spending $63 billion dollars (yes, $60,000,000,000) more in 2023 than when they took office in 2017!

Ardern, Hipkins, Robertson and the whole Labour crowd - bunch of clueless and useless spendthrift POLITICIANS, good for nothing.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcT3qmF951pmiDP8JOdzmgDPHHk5mk0_yDkPgAldcbH gUh76mSWi-LPhzRzX2CjTyLM9xr2nsDiKjW9Hf-LVd98-AEaw_9c654tb46ftkF7l2bVqj5UWu4ZS95brLHAvm8KJ9snkn7 JeB1hgvWMBX7e7Om-AWCZ0qZFPZUZSnaCjjenR1zbUY8YJIElY/w400-h260/Screenshot_2.png

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1665949645979-XJARCDDIRBYZAUT0D7CB/Demolition+copy.jpg?format=500w

https://eyeofthefish.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/jacinda-950x500.jpg

[Panda-NZ-]

Underprivileged?

Please name all the privileges they are missing out on in 2024?

Attend a decile 1 school and report back what you see... then visit a decile 8/10 school & finally a private school to contrast them with.

[Blue Skies]

The evidence is in - after 6 years of Ardern, Hipkins and the Labour Government, child poverty is up.

"The 2023 child poverty statistics are out, and they show slightly more children living in material hardship than in 2017. So six years of Ardern, Hipkins and Robertson saw no actual progress, while four years of key, english and Joyce saw 60,000 fewer kids living in material hardship - this is all data from Stats NZ."

And that's after spending $63 billion dollars (yes, $60,000,000,000) more in 2023 than when they took office in 2017!

Ardern, Hipkins, Robertson and the whole Labour crowd - bunch of clueless and useless spendthrift POLITICIANS, good for nothing.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcT3qmF951pmiDP8JOdzmgDPHHk5mk0_yDkPgAldcbH gUh76mSWi-LPhzRzX2CjTyLM9xr2nsDiKjW9Hf-LVd98-AEaw_9c654tb46ftkF7l2bVqj5UWu4ZS95brLHAvm8KJ9snkn7 JeB1hgvWMBX7e7Om-AWCZ0qZFPZUZSnaCjjenR1zbUY8YJIElY/w400-h260/Screenshot_2.png

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1665949645979-XJARCDDIRBYZAUT0D7CB/Demolition+copy.jpg?format=500w

https://eyeofthefish.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/jacinda-950x500.jpg





Again lets look at this a bit more closely.
Labour did a lot to try and address the issue, e.g.
Indexing Benefits to the higher of Wage growth or Inflation ( Nat/ACT/NZF to reverse this policy, which the Children's Commissioner said was the single biggest step to stop children remaining in poverty & which even National commended the govt for at the time & said was important )
Winter Energy payments
Free Healthy School lunch program
Free Public Transport for under 13's (National going to revoke this)
Increasing the Minimum Wage
They extended paid parental leave
The Best Start Tax
Increased funding for maternity services
& probably many more.

Apart from the ridiculous cost of food here with the duopoly Supermarkets making $1 million profit per day, and the same with the Banks charges & processes extracting obscene profits from us, its the cost of housing with the biggest chunk of families income going on rent driving families into poverty.
It's far from just beneficiaries, families with both parents working full time are being driven into poverty.
Either low wages have to increase or rents & housing have to come down.
National's Louise Upston says the solution is to address the Cost of Living which sounds so vague & airy fairy, esp when unwinding some of the above policies is going to push more children into poverty.
Luxon say the answer is getting people back to work, while blithely ignoring the fact many families with all the adults in full time employment are now having to use Foodbanks.

[Panda-NZ-]

Yes it's a full on assault on the poor from those who claim to be christians.

$5 prescription charge back on, 2% minimum wage hike only, removing or dismantling the safety net.

[Balance]

Yes it's a full on assault on the poor from those who claim to be christians.

$5 prescription charge back on, 2% minimum wage hike only, removing or dismantling the safety net.

The ignoramus Labour peasant with another stupid claim - like record immigration in the last year being the fault of the current government.

Kiss my arse.

[blackcap]

Yes it's a full on assault on the poor from those who claim to be christians.

$5 prescription charge back on, 2% minimum wage hike only, removing or dismantling the safety net.

Who is claiming to be a Christian? What has that got to do with the price of prescriptions?

[mistaTea]

Who is claiming to be a Christian? What has that got to do with the price of prescriptions?

I think Panda is (clumsily) having a crack at Luxon, who is a devout Christian.

[Blue Skies]

Yes it's a full on assault on the poor from those who claim to be christians.

$5 prescription charge back on, 2% minimum wage hike only, removing or dismantling the safety net.



Yes I'll forgotten about putting Prescription charges back on against so much advice from the Health sector & Poverty groups,

And the new Minister of Workplace Relations & Safety Brooke van Veldon wanted to keep the Minimum Wage increase to 1.3% in the middle of a Cost of Living Crisis, inflation running at 4.7% & against Ministry advice wanting a 4% increase. How bloody ridiculous 1.3% for those on minimum wage with rents & food skyrocketing.
Completely out of touch!

Eventually forced to compromise & settle on 2%

[Balance]

Yes I'll forgotten about putting Prescription charges back on against so much advice from the Health sector & Poverty groups,

And the new Minister of Workplace Relations & Safety Brooke van Veldon wanted to keep the Minimum Wage increase to 1.3% in the middle of a Cost of Living Crisis, inflation running at 4.7% & against Ministry advice wanting a 4% increase. How bloody ridiculous 1.3% for those on minimum wage with rents & food skyrocketing.
Completely out of touch!

Eventually forced to compromise & settle on 2%

I have not paid the $5 prescription charge since like forever.

Who are the ignorant peasants still feeding the chemists?

[Panda-NZ-]

Yes I'll forgotten about putting Prescription charges back on against so much advice from the Health sector & Poverty groups,


Strange that the bean counters don't realise that prevention is better than cure. I imagine a family in south auckland will be somewhat relucatant to pay the new fees then they will need ambulance services and emergency medical care instead..

They could have means tested it but I don't see the point when it's relatively trivial amounts.

[Panda-NZ-]

I think Panda is (clumsily) having a crack at Luxon, who is a devout Christian.

Yep. He seems rather obsessed with those who are doing it tough.. previously he called them bottom feeders.

[777]

If your prescription is written by a specialist, or in my case the dentist, then the charge is $15.

[Balance]

Yep. He seems rather obsessed with those who are doing it tough.. previously he called them bottom feeders.

Very apt description too.

Beneficiaries, parasites, peasants and losers bred by Labour to fleece hard working and frugal NZers.

109,000 on the jobseeker benefit for more than 1 year and NZ has to import 260,000 migrants because of labour shortages. Fxxk the bottom dwelling freeloaders. Fxxk Labour.

[Valuegrowth]

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/09/an-economist-explains-what-covid-19-has-done-to-the-global-economy/

COVID-19 has caused an economic shock three times worse than the 2008 financial crisis.

I think NZ managed covid-19 well when compare with other countries. I worked through out the covid period. Becuase of the steps taken and descipline made in work places at that time, I was able to work without getting covid-19.

[Muse]

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/09/an-economist-explains-what-covid-19-has-done-to-the-global-economy/

COVID-19 has caused an economic shock three times worse than the 2008 financial crisis.

I think NZ managed covid-19 well when compare with other countries. I worked through out the covid period. Becuase of the steps taken and descipline made in work places at that time, I was able to work without getting covid-19.

Valuegrowth do Chatbots also get covid vaccines or do you wing it like some of us humans?

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/labours-worst-week-highlights-its-existential-crisis-political-round-up/X5ZFOQ53UJAZXPWZVKJ4ETBTVY/


Labour’s worst week highlights its existential crisis - Political Round-up



The Labour Party’s fortunes go from bad to worse. Ever since the party was turfed out of power in October, incurring its biggest-ever loss, Labour has shown no real sign of learning any lessons from its defeat, nor does it show any capacity to revive itself.

Last week is being labelled its “worst week yet” by commentators. One of them, Vernon Small, who until recently was the senior adviser to David Parker, wrote yesterday in the Sunday Star Times that Labour appears to have finally hit rock bottom last week, with another poor opinion poll result of 28 per cent support, Grant Robertson abandoning ship and a new report out showing that in government, Labour had failed on child poverty - see: Was that Labour’s worst week yet? (paywalled)

Not only is Robertson a major loss of talent for the party in Opposition, Small points out that most of the other stars have been departing: “As well as Robertson and Ardern, Kelvin Davis, Nanaia Mahuta, Andrew Little, Michael Wood and Kiritapu Allan have all jumped ship or been thrown overboard. Third-ranked Megan Woods is being equivocal about her long-term plans.” Meanwhile, Small points out that Chris Hipkins has demoted other solid talent, such as Damien O’Connor and David Parker, leaving Labour’s front bench “looking decidedly callow”.


Last one out - turn out the lights & pull the plug ;)


Any of the Comrades need a rapid session of swimming lessons ?

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/dividend-payments-expected-to-spike-ahead-of-trustee-tax-rate-rising/HGD4UBVTNZAXJBS6PUEMQSI624/

Dividend payments expected to spike ahead of trustee tax rate rising



Yet more carry forward of Robbo's crock of Economic Cluelessness morphs itself on 1 Apr 2024


TRUSTEE TAX hike from 33% to 39%


Just to remind all why they sent this incompetent mob down the road ;)

[Balance]

Stuart Nash not holding back - pxssed off like skunk at Kiri ‘crash car’ Allan & Hapless Hipkins for being soft on gangs (because they are Māoris!) :

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/stuart-nash-hits-out-at-labour-kiri-allans-stance-on-gang-asset-seizures/3JDIBQHCTRFDFGY43LEOMSOR2I/

Stuart Nash has hit out at his former Labour colleagues over changes to laws targeting gangs he wanted to introduce, but which others wouldn’t progress due to fears they would unfairly target Māori.

“He said, ‘Well, see if you can get it past Kiri [Allan]. And I went to Kiri and said this is what I want to do. And she said ‘No, we need to leave it at $30,000.’”

Nash then asked to take the issue to Cabinet.

“And she said ‘No, this is what it’s going to be.’ She obviously went to Hipkins and Hipkins said, ‘Okay, we’re going to leave it at $30,000′. Why? Because it’s anti-Māori. Bulls***.”

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1692825766225-T6Z4EH6C5584E47R8N0T/Lame+Duck.jpg?format=500w

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1691612681811-D9LMARSVE48IZHOKQCOA/Organ+grinders.jpg?format=500w

[Panda-NZ-]

Kiri has such low expectations for her people.. If you're maori then it's obvious you're a gang member.

What about human rights for victims and the working class who have to live inside gang neighbourhoods (who can also be maori).

[iceman]

Stuart Nash not holding back - pxssed off like skunk at Kiri ‘crash car’ Allan & Hapless Hipkins for being soft on gangs (because they are Māoris!) :

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/stuart-nash-hits-out-at-labour-kiri-allans-stance-on-gang-asset-seizures/3JDIBQHCTRFDFGY43LEOMSOR2I/

Stuart Nash has hit out at his former Labour colleagues over changes to laws targeting gangs he wanted to introduce, but which others wouldn’t progress due to fears they would unfairly target Māori.

“He said, ‘Well, see if you can get it past Kiri [Allan]. And I went to Kiri and said this is what I want to do. And she said ‘No, we need to leave it at $30,000.’”

Nash then asked to take the issue to Cabinet.

“And she said ‘No, this is what it’s going to be.’ She obviously went to Hipkins and Hipkins said, ‘Okay, we’re going to leave it at $30,000′. Why? Because it’s anti-Māori. Bulls***.”

And Kiri hits back attacking the messenger rather than replying to his claims. I know who I believe out of those two.

[Balance]

And Kiri hits back attacking the messenger rather than replying to his claims. I know who I believe out of those two.

Car crash Kiri who ran away from the scene of the crime.

[ynot]

Good point Panda. There is hope for you yet.

[Panda-NZ-]

Do gang members vote? Hard to know who Kiri is pandering to.

Maybe a priviliged section of acadamia.

[Bill Smith]

Do gang members vote? Hard to know who Kiri is pandering to.

Maybe a priviliged section of acadamia.

Looks like the lobotomy has made some improvement in your thinking ability. Unfortunately, the spelling not so much.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/stuart-nash-hits-out-at-labour-kiri-allans-stance-on-gang-asset-seizures/3JDIBQHCTRFDFGY43LEOMSOR2I/

Stuart Nash hits out at Labour, Kiri Allan’s stance on gang asset seizures




Stuart Nash has hit out at his former Labour colleagues over changes to laws targeting gangs he wanted to introduce, but which others wouldn’t progress due to fears they would unfairly target Māori.

Last year the Labour government changed the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act to allow police to seize gang leaders’ property, such as cars and bikes, if valued over $30,000 and if it could not be proven they were paid for legitimately.

But then-police minister Nash wanted the threshold lowered to $0 - a plan he says was dashed by Labour’s Minister of Justice Kiri Allan over concerns it would hurt Māori and would contravene the Bill of Rights.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking this morning, Nash hit out again at Allan, saying at the time his view was “pull your bloody head in”.

He strongly denied that such a move was aimed at or would hurt Māori, saying police were “race-agnostic” when it came to dealing with gangs.



Keep ripping into them Stu .. that filthy rotting carcass infested by the clueless remnants that got booted
really needs to be turned over many times to ensure all the filth has fallen out ;)


Now there is a Former Labour Politician who should have become Leader and would have been well
respected, if it weren't for the trash & other incompetent dimwits resident within the party ;)

Instead the high level incompetents on the way out managed to find another clueless incompetent and look where that lead things when the wheels fell off the Bus ;)

[iceman]

The sour Labourites really have lowered the bar deep into the mud, lead by Ginny Andersen. They have a long way and a lot of rebuilding to do before they will get anywhere near the Government benches again. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/labour-removes-social-media-post-describing-police-minister-as-mercenary-man/6HM22HJT6JDFTD6CBT4QYZZBTI/

[Balance]

The sour Labourites really have lowered the bar deep into the mud, lead by Ginny Andersen. They have a long way and a lot of rebuilding to do before they will get anywhere near the Government benches again. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/labour-removes-social-media-post-describing-police-minister-as-mercenary-man/6HM22HJT6JDFTD6CBT4QYZZBTI/

Fxxking disgrace from Labour - the party which promoted and encouraged lawlessness.

[nztx]

Oh Sh*t .. Man Overboard at Empire of many State Houses:



https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/housing-minister-chris-bishop-announces-resignation-of-kainga-ora-board-chairman-vui-mark-gosche/LWTZWS6UB5FDVKPRF7SQ35WYM4/


Housing Minister Chris Bishop announces resignation of Kāinga Ora board chairman Vui Mark Gosche



On behalf of the Government, I thank Mr Gosche for his many years of service, including the previous six years on the Kāinga Ora board, and I wish him well in his retirement,” said Bishop.

Gosche told the Herald it had been a pleasure to serve on the boards of both Housing New Zealand and Kāinga Ora.

“After nearly six years as board chair, I’ve resigned to spend more time with my whānau.

“Housing is a fundamental right, and I’m proud of how Kāinga Ora and its people, and partners, have made a positive difference in the lives of so many people,” said Gosche.

Gosche’s resignation comes after Bishop, who has been a long-standing critic of Kāinga Ora’s financial management, had promised to review the performance of the agency within 100 days of the new Government taking office.

The independent review would provide a report to the Government by the end of March.


A case of jump before the Report rather than being kicked overboard after ? ;)




In December, Bishop announced former National Party Prime Minister and Finance Minister Sir Bill English would lead the review into the agency’s financial situation, procurement and asset management.

Bishop cited a report from the Treasury and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development that found Kāinga Ora’s level of debt had grown from $2.7 billion in 2018 to $12.3b in June last year.



Borrow, borrow, borrow :)

[Balance]

Oh Sh*t .. Man Overboard at Empire of many State Houses:



https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/housing-minister-chris-bishop-announces-resignation-of-kainga-ora-board-chairman-vui-mark-gosche/LWTZWS6UB5FDVKPRF7SQ35WYM4/


Housing Minister Chris Bishop announces resignation of Kāinga Ora board chairman Vui Mark Gosche

A case of jump before the Report rather than being kicked overboard after ? ;)
Borrow, borrow, borrow :)

One of Ardern's diversity for the sake of diversity & rewarding ex-Labour supporters appointments - and what a freaking disaster he has turned out to be.

1. Full time staff at KO increased from 1,944 to 3,300 - 70% increase!

2. 1,963 Kiwibuild homes built of the 100,000 promised.

3. Debt increased from $2.7 billion to $12.3 billion and still climbing - 355% increase.

4. State housing waiting list increased by 20,000.

5. $1m spent PER DAY on emergency housing.

Let's hope that this incompetent ex-Labour Minister gets pilloried for the clown that he is.

What a freaking waste of space.

https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C4D22AQGYVigvKVMKOw/feedshare-shrink_800/0/1561946172441?e=2147483647&v=beta&t=8OOkCXs-HxKaQfwOqPngxbn91O_SGvRSloSjM5FtBOk

[nztx]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R1gjIG3RMk


Hipkins comes clean on Labour's Three Waters Bulcr@p



$500 million flushed and no improvement to water anywhere

God knows how many added to payrolls & on long contracts in newly dreamed up Three Waters empires.

Where did the large handouts to Councils disappear to so far on this ?

Anything useful ? or mostly frittered away ? ;)

The poor bl**dy ratepayers can expect to be getting well and truly skrewed over and knifed royally out of this Three Waters Farce & F&^kup that Labour played on all .. and that's on top of what Labour p&ssed up against the wall making motions on getting bods signed up with hands out, desks & the music & other mumbo jumbo ; but little more on three waters ;)


As good as Auckland Light Rail motions from the Labour moron brigade - isn't it ? ;)


Must be more of this idiot style of grandiose projects that cost a bomb, but go nowhere under the last watch of the huddle of incompetent Comrades - surely ? ;)


These wont be isolated examples of the cluelessness that reigned under Ardern & Hipkins leadership :)

[777]

Part of todays Taxpayers Union email

WATCH: Chris Hipkins let's slip Three Waters truth bomb ����

After two-and-a-half-years of Labour politicians lying about Three Waters stripping local water assets from local communities and councils, poor old Chris Hipkins let slip a truth bomb this week...

The statement came as Hipkins was being grilled about where the last Government's $200 million in bribes ‘better off funding' given to councils had gone and why that money was spent on things like climate change promotion and rugby park floodlights rather than water infrastructure.

In attempting to justify why the money had not been ring-fenced, Hipkins said that the funding was “compensation” for the fact Three Waters was taking assets from Councils. Can someone check on Nanaia Mahuta?



Billions wasted and nothing to show ��

Chris Hipkins' Government poured $500 million taxpayer dollars into the Three Waters bureaucracy alone. That money could have been spent fixing pipes and on ensuring our water is clean and safe to drink. But instead, it was used to drive through an unpopular, divisive, and undemocratic piece of legislation that would have only led to higher water costs and poorer service delivery. A further $45 million has already been committed through contracts that can’t be avoided including almost $4 million on building and office spaces.

We warned back in 2021 that Three Waters would be a costly and bureaucratic boondoggle, but the Government refused to listen. Now we have sadly been vindicated and that money belonging to taxpayers will never be seen again.

Our team is working incredibly hard to push the new Government to implement our draft Three Waters replacement bill that would ensure cost-effective and efficient delivery of water services while maintaining local ownership and control.

Ministry of Education needs a first-grade lesson in budgeting ��

Earlier this week, you may have heard another classic take from the Chris Hipkins spin machine: that the Government’s cuts to the Ministry of Education are putting tax cuts ahead of building classrooms for kids. This comes after the Ministry of Education claimed to only be able to reduce its staffing levels by two percent before it would have to cut it's school property bill.

However, a simple glance at the growing bureaucracy in the Ministry will tell you it's the staff rooms – not the classrooms – which desperately need to be stripped down.



In the last five years, according to Public Service Commission workforce data, the number of full-time-equivalent staff at the Ministry of Education has increased by a whopping 48%. There's now 65% more managers, 46% more policy analysts, and 53% more information professionals – all of which work out of the back-office.

And...the average FTE salary at the Ministry is now $103,800, up 17% from $85,600 in 2018.

The simple fact is that the last Government lost control of public spending, and now the hives of bureaucrats are circling the wagons trying to protect their mates by fear-mongering the prospect of major cuts to core operations.

There is absolutely no need to cut frontline services to find savings. When you hear stories like this in the media, we’d all do well to remember that it is the back-office officials in Wellington drawing up the cost-cutting plans, and often their jobs depend on making cuts look as painful as possible.

[nztx]

Chipkin's days as Leader of filthy few left of Labour must surely be numbered, when stuff up after stuff up
and reverse traction on his leadership popularity constantly star for all to see ;)

It wont be long and Commo Comrade Parker & Co will be sharpening the long knives
to dispatch the hapless hopeless Hipkins skeleton of failures back into Political Obscurity ;)

[Panda-NZ-]

There is absolutely no need to cut frontline services to find savings. When you hear stories like this in the media, we’d all do well to remember that it is the back-office officials in Wellington drawing up the cost-cutting plans, and often their jobs depend on making cuts look as painful as possible.


It does seem like they're softening us up for fiscal austerity (the wealthy are exempt from it though).

First stage of it is to talk up all the alleged cost blowouts and fiscal holes (which saw a AA+ credit rating upgrade slapped onto NZ vs the last downgrade under National). It's intended to manage expectations for the budget in May.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/labour-party-problems-when-ideas-are-lacking-and-credibility-goes-bruce-cotteril/5WAHWTAPPRBVZDJHIC5FQJ7TRQ/

Labour Party problems: When ideas are lacking and credibility goes - Bruce Cotteril



Go easy Bruce .. most might still be on holiday (or think they are) or unsuccessfully be trying to shrug off the effects of long holiday break and last year's whipping they got ;)

Look no further than the limp dribble coming out of the camp

That points to the resident degree of retardness present among the remaining clueless specimens left in the filthy huddle ;)



The only solution to any sort of fix is to flush out all the remaining talent from their warrens and start afresh.

Perhaps Stu Nash should be invited to take over as New Leader and start assembling a whole new team afresh jettisoning all the trash & useless talent onboard


It might be the only chance Labour has to fend off the Last Rites being read on the Cause after'
the last 6 years non performance and the bashing NZ Inc just delivered Labour ;)

[Daytr]

One of Ardern's diversity for the sake of diversity & rewarding ex-Labour supporters appointments - and what a freaking disaster he has turned out to be.

1. Full time staff at KO increased from 1,944 to 3,300 - 70% increase!

2. 1,963 Kiwibuild homes built of the 100,000 promised.

3. Debt increased from $2.7 billion to $12.3 billion and still climbing - 355% increase.

4. State housing waiting list increased by 20,000.

5. $1m spent PER DAY on emergency housing.

Let's hope that this incompetent ex-Labour Minister gets pilloried for the clown that he is.

What a freaking waste of space.

https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C4D22AQGYVigvKVMKOw/feedshare-shrink_800/0/1561946172441?e=2147483647&v=beta&t=8OOkCXs-HxKaQfwOqPngxbn91O_SGvRSloSjM5FtBOk

What is the increase in assets?
I.e. the increase in debt is offset by the 13,000 increase in Government housing stock.

Under National there were less in emergency housing as the housing wasn't made available, so instead people including entire families lived in their cars.

No doubt Labour wasted a heap of money, but how you present the numbers above is just plain dishonest.

[Panda-NZ-]

What would this government say if beneficiaries, students and public servants follow the example of Luxon.

Take every side payment they are entitled to even if they don't need it. Yes please, I'll take that 5k training allowance for my course in flax weaving and essential materials like a gaming laptop and a 4k display.

[Balance]

What is the increase in assets?
I.e. the increase in debt is offset by the 13,000 increase in Government housing stock.

Under National there were less in emergency housing as the housing wasn't made available, so instead people including entire families lived in their cars.

No doubt Labour wasted a heap of money, but how you present the numbers above is just plain dishonest.

Plain dishonest, you say?

Let's examine the spin from the Labour government carefully, shall we?

Look at the infor from Kainga Ora below - official stats from 2017 to 2023 (re PDF).


Fact is that Managed KO housing stock = increase of 9,103 of which 1,003 are via the CHPs.

In any case, the $9.6 billion increase in debt = $1.05m per unit! Unbelievable!

Now, tell us where are the 13,000 increase in state housing stock?



https://thedailyblog.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Screenshot-2023-04-18-at-5.43.43-AM.png

https://kaingaora.govt.nz/assets/Publications/Managed-stock/Managed-Stock-National-Summary-September-2023.pdf

https://liberation.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451d75d69e20240a486fdf1200d-800wi

[Daytr]

Plain dishonest, you say?

Let's examine the spin from the Labour government carefully, shall we?

Look at the infor from Kainga Ora below - official stats from 2017 to 2023 (re PDF).


Fact is that Managed KO housing stock = increase of 9,103 of which 1,003 are via the CHPs.

In any case, the $9.6 billion increase in debt = $1.05m per unit! Unbelievable!

Now, tell us where are the 13,000 increase in state housing stock?



https://thedailyblog.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Screenshot-2023-04-18-at-5.43.43-AM.png

https://kaingaora.govt.nz/assets/Publications/Managed-stock/Managed-Stock-National-Summary-September-2023.pdf

https://liberation.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451d75d69e20240a486fdf1200d-800wi

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/labour-delivers-12000-more-public-homes

As there virtually no increase in the first few years, if this number is extrapolated out to the election, it equates to circa 13,000.

The numbers you reference also include units taken out of stock as they were no longer suitable, without including these numbers it inflates the cost, as you are dividing it by the net increase, not how many houses were bought or built.

I think I worked out the average cost was something like $843k but this is also including all overhead costs etc for the department. Still very high in my view.

[Balance]

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/labour-delivers-12000-more-public-homes

As there virtually no increase in the first few years, if this number is extrapolated out to the election, it equates to circa 13,000.

The numbers you reference also include units taken out of stock as they were no longer suitable, without including these numbers it inflates the cost, as you are dividing it by the net increase, not how many houses were bought or built.

I think I worked out the average cost was something like $843k but this is also including all overhead costs etc for the department. Still very high in my view.

So you were relying entirely on Labour’s press release rather than independently check & verify what are the actual numbers.

Surely even you would know better now than to trust their BS and spin!

[Daytr]

So you were relying entirely on Labour’s press release rather than independently check & verify what are the actual numbers.

Surely even you would know better now than to trust their BS and spin!


It's issued by a Government department.
What I think the difference is that the numbers you issued are net whilst the Government numbers were gross and if that's the case you cannot divide the net number by the cost it's the gross number. Because that's the number of houses built or bought, not the net of defunct houses.

Either way it justifies the increase in debt, they spent it on housing and this is where your post was completely disingenuous.

Just imagine if National had not reduced the number of publicly owned houses in their 9 years. We wouldn't have such a deficit now.

[dobby41]

Just imagine if National had not reduced the number of publicly owned houses in their 9 years. We wouldn't have such a deficit now.

Touche - and they'll do it again because that's what National Govts do best!

[iceman]

It's issued by a Government department.
What I think the difference is that the numbers you issued are net whilst the Government numbers were gross and if that's the case you cannot divide the net number by the cost it's the gross number. Because that's the number of houses built or bought, not the net of defunct houses.

Either way it justifies the increase in debt, they spent it on housing and this is where your post was completely disingenuous.

Just imagine if National had not reduced the number of publicly owned houses in their 9 years. We wouldn't have such a deficit now.

I hope they do the same again. Reduce the number of state houses mismanaged by HNZ and seek alternative local providers to manage housing in their areas. The current model is a complete failure resulting in slums all around the country where we regularly hear of murders and other serious crimes. The sooner we stop this never ending growth of slums funded by $ Billions in extra debt, the better.

Thankfully the former Labour Government Minister who has Chaired this failure for the last 5 or 6 years, has seen the signs and resigned. Time for a shake up as soon as Bishop receives the recommendations from Bill English in May.

[Balance]

It's issued by a Government department.
What I think the difference is that the numbers you issued are net whilst the Government numbers were gross and if that's the case you cannot divide the net number by the cost it's the gross number. Because that's the number of houses built or bought, not the net of defunct houses.

Either way it justifies the increase in debt, they spent it on housing and this is where your post was completely disingenuous.

Just imagine if National had not reduced the number of publicly owned houses in their 9 years. We wouldn't have such a deficit now.

Yup - issued by a government department but spun by Ardern & Labour into BS stats.

This was in the press release - "Since October 2017, there has been a net increase of 12,017 public homes, with 9,917 of these being new builds (as at April 2023)."

Where are the 12,017 NET INCREASE? Kainga Ora shows 9,013 so whose number is correct?

Where is the fact check by the corrupted ms media?

Note too that most of the net increase are in the 1 and 2 bedroom units (apartments in other words) - the private sector would have delivered at well under KO's costs, inflated by the 70% increase in staff numbers and their gross incompetencies.

The housing shortage has become a crisis under Labour - something which the private sector had done a decent job of containing during National. Now there are tens of thousands of families languishing in the waiting list or in emergency housing - that is a fact.

https://liberation.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451d75d69e20240a4a91fdf200d-800wi

[Daytr]

Yup - issued by a government department but spun by Ardern & Labour into BS stats.

This was in the press release - "Since October 2017, there has been a net increase of 12,017 public homes, with 9,917 of these being new builds (as at April 2023)."

Where are the 12,017 NET INCREASE? Kainga Ora shows 9,013 so whose number is correct?

Where is the fact check by the corrupted ms media?

Note too that most of the net increase are in the 1 and 2 bedroom units (apartments in other words) - the private sector would have delivered at well under KO's costs, inflated by the 70% increase in staff numbers and their gross incompetencies.

The housing shortage has become a crisis under Labour - something which the private sector had done a decent job of containing during National. Now there are tens of thousands of families languishing in the waiting list or in emergency housing - that is a fact.

https://liberation.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451d75d69e20240a4a91fdf200d-800wi

So National reduced the public housing stock by 1500 over nine years & you are quibbling over Labour's numbers and claim that Labour created a bigger housing crisis.
Perhaps if they had performed as National did you would be happy?
John Key & Paula Bennett both grew up in State Housing and showed no empathy for those in the same position.
Any public housing by any Government is going to take away resources from the private sector so your point is moot.
National have no credibility in public housing at all. Hopefully that changes.

And you have also dodged your one sided post that Labour increased debt without crediting the assets they created. I am all for critiquing the Government as long as it's balanced, something you fail to do again despite your moniker.

[Balance]

So National reduced the public housing stock by 1500 over nine years & you are quibbling over Labour's numbers and claim that Labour created a bigger housing crisis.
Perhaps if they had performed as National did you would be happy?
John Key & Paula Bennett both grew up in State Housing and showed no empathy for those in the same position.
Any public housing by any Government is going to take away resources from the private sector so your point is moot.
National have no credibility in public housing at all. Hopefully that changes.

And you have also dodged your one sided post that Labour increased debt without crediting the assets they created. I am all for critiquing the Government as long as it's balanced, something you fail to do again despite your moniker.

Labour's housing track record under Clueless Cindy, Hapless Hipkins and Hole Robertson :

Between 2017 and 2023

1. Housing waiting list - up 250% from 7357 to 25,839

2. Emergency Housing - up 240% from less than 1,000 households to 3417 households. Cost increased from $52m to $340m annually.

As for the asset side of the blow out in debt of $9.6 billion, KO has paid out for some of the most expensive housing ever (especially the 1 and 2 bedroom units).

So a reminder :

One of Ardern's diversity for the sake of diversity & rewarding ex-Labour supporters appointments - and what a freaking disaster he has turned out to be.

1. Full time staff at KO increased from 1,944 to 3,300 - 70% increase!

2. 1,963 Kiwibuild homes built of the 100,000 promised.

3. Debt increased from $2.7 billion to $12.3 billion and still climbing - 355% increase.

4. State housing waiting list increased by 20,000.

5. $1m spent PER DAY on emergency housing.

Let's hope that this incompetent ex-Labour Minister gets pilloried for the clown that he is.

What a freaking waste of space.

[Daytr]

Labour's housing track record under Clueless Cindy, Hapless Hipkins and Hole Robertson :

Between 2017 and 2023

1. Housing waiting list - up 250% from 7357 to 25,839

2. Emergency Housing - up 240% from less than 1,000 households to 3417 households. Cost increased from $52m to $340m annually.

As for the asset side of the blow out in debt of $9.6 billion, KO has paid out for some of the most expensive housing ever (especially the 1 and 2 bedroom units).

So a reminder :

One of Ardern's diversity for the sake of diversity & rewarding ex-Labour supporters appointments - and what a freaking disaster he has turned out to be.

1. Full time staff at KO increased from 1,944 to 3,300 - 70% increase!

2. 1,963 Kiwibuild homes built of the 100,000 promised.

3. Debt increased from $2.7 billion to $12.3 billion and still climbing - 355% increase.

4. State housing waiting list increased by 20,000.

5. $1m spent PER DAY on emergency housing.

Let's hope that this incompetent ex-Labour Minister gets pilloried for the clown that he is.

What a freaking waste of space.

No a freaking waste of space was a Government not adding any public housing, in fact reducing it by 1500 houses.

If National had added houses at the same rate as Labour did even based on your lower number we would have over 12,000 additional public houses and basically no waiting list at all.

Yes Labour paid some ridiculous prices to secure land, yes they were inefficient, but I don't know a Government department no matter who is in power which isn't.

Your numbers don't include undeveloped land that has been purchased nor partially completed developments.

There are five projects in Northland alone that are in various phases of development that will provide another 600+ houses.

It's hard to be criticized on anything specific when you do nothing as National did. What I do remember was there was an epidemic of people sleeping in cars, many of those have been provided with emergency housing. Mothers & their children escaping domestic violence had no where to go, now they do, it's not perfect & it's expensive.

Could Labour have done better? No doubt.
Some of Labour's other policies around rentals & investors in the property market also had unintended consequences and increased the numbers looking for emergency & public housing. Rents are now unaffordable for many which is a national disgrace.

Did National's nine years of neglect create a much bigger problem? Absolutely.
Wasted, squandered years of neglect & dereliction of duty that only served the already wealthy.

I don't care which party delivers on some of the massive issues facing NZ, I just hope that the new Government faces them head on and not do a John Key & say there's nothing to see here...
Key is such a capable guy & yet delivered very little.

[Balance]

No a freaking waste of space was a Government not adding any public housing, in fact reducing it by 1500 houses.

If National had added houses at the same rate as Labour did even based on your lower number we would have over 12,000 additional public houses and basically no waiting list at all.

Yes Labour paid some ridiculous prices to secure land, yes they were inefficient, but I don't know a Government department no matter who is in power which isn't.

Your numbers don't include undeveloped land that has been purchased nor partially completed developments.

There are five projects in Northland alone that are in various phases of development that will provide another 600+ houses.

It's hard to be criticized on anything specific when you do nothing as National did. What I do remember was there was an epidemic of people sleeping in cars, many of those have been provided with emergency housing. Mothers & their children escaping domestic violence had no where to go, now they do, it's not perfect & it's expensive.

Could Labour have done better? No doubt.
Some of Labour's other policies around rentals & investors in the property market also had unintended consequences and increased the numbers looking for emergency & public housing. Rents are now unaffordable for many which is a national disgrace.

Did National's nine years of neglect create a much bigger problem? Absolutely.
Wasted, squandered years of neglect & dereliction of duty that only served the already wealthy.

I don't care which party delivers on some of the massive issues facing NZ, I just hope that the new Government faces them head on and not do a John Key & say there's nothing to see here...
Key is such a capable guy & yet delivered very little.

National’s policy was and still is to let the private sector and householders take care of housing needs with the state playing a safety net role - and it worked.

What’s the proof? The waiting list and emergency accommodation needs exploded under Labour, despite Labour spending billions of dollars to no avail.

Labour’s policy (in everything) is that the government knows best and what a mess Ardern, Hipkins and the Labour government have made of housing. And in education, health, infrastructure, police … almost everything.

Billions of dollars spent and the so-called housing crisis became a disaster.

Blame and deflect all you want, Daytr - the above are the facts.

[Daytr]

National’s policy was and still is to let the private sector and householders take care of housing needs with the state playing a safety net role - and it worked.

What’s the proof? The waiting list and emergency accommodation needs exploded under Labour, despite Labour spending billions of dollars to no avail.

Labour’s policy (in everything) is that the government knows best and what a mess Ardern, Hipkins and the Labour government have made of housing. And in education, health, infrastructure, police … almost everything.

Billions of dollars spent and the so-called housing crisis became a disaster.

Blame and deflect all you want, Daytr - the above are the facts.

It didn't work & the safety net wasn't there, otherwise there wouldn't have been so many people sleeping in their cars. The problem was just ignored and slept under the rug.

[Daytr]

I hope they do the same again. Reduce the number of state houses mismanaged by HNZ and seek alternative local providers to manage housing in their areas. The current model is a complete failure resulting in slums all around the country where we regularly hear of murders and other serious crimes. The sooner we stop this never ending growth of slums funded by $ Billions in extra debt, the better.

Thankfully the former Labour Government Minister who has Chaired this failure for the last 5 or 6 years, has seen the signs and resigned. Time for a shake up as soon as Bishop receives the recommendations from Bill English in May.

How can people who require state housing pay market rent? There is probably a happy balance there to be had between the State & private sector for sure. The problem we have now is that there is such a shortage of rentals and rents have sky rocketed that it can't be left to the private sector.

And I will be the first to admit it was a confluence of some of Labour's other policies around tenancy & tax etc that exasperated the problem. Mind you it was Key's Government that introduced the Brightline test rather than a proper CGT, Labour just extended it. The biggest issue however I think was removing tax deductibility for interest.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/hmnzs-aotearoa-new-navy-ship-already-rusty-9-million-damage-done/YMEV72JNMNFZBKMIOZF6D4LRN4/

HMNZS Aotearoa: New Navy ship already rusty - $9 million damage done



Yet another disaster likely from the time of Camp Commandant Little, mostly asleep under his Parliamentary Chair ;)


The master of the great Kiwi Te Whata Health Ph^ck up, the Pikers River Unholy throw a large bundle down Hole
and b*llsh!t the locals c*ock up (no inspections needed) and probably a multitude of other similar showings ;)


Lets guess the likely excuse -- They were managing ;)

[iceman]

How can people who require state housing pay market rent? There is probably a happy balance there to be had between the State & private sector for sure. The problem we have now is that there is such a shortage of rentals and rents have sky rocketed that it can't be left to the private sector.

And I will be the first to admit it was a confluence of some of Labour's other policies around tenancy & tax etc that exasperated the problem. Mind you it was Key's Government that introduced the Brightline test rather than a proper CGT, Labour just extended it. The biggest issue however I think was removing tax deductibility for interest.

There are lots of NGOs, community service providers and iwi that could do a much better job at managing some of this housing stock than HNZ

[Balance]

It didn't work & the safety net wasn't there, otherwise there wouldn't have been so many people sleeping in their cars. The problem was just ignored and slept under the rug.

And Labour's answer & solution is to increase the number of people sleeping in cars & tents and those on the state housing waiting list by 350%!

That's after spending billions of dollars and increasing the number of staff at Kainga Ora by 70%.

Shows how bankrupt & devoid of ideas Ardern, Hipkins and the Labour Party are to solve problems - their one answer was and still is to throw as much money as they can borrow at the problem and increase the number of bureaucrats along with more rules and regulations.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1691100335060-VCWQ5NZMSCF2M6DZKW7L/The+Book.jpg?format=500w

[Daytr]

And Labour's answer & solution is to increase the number of people sleeping in cars & tents and those on the state housing waiting list by 350%!

That's after spending billions of dollars and increasing the number of staff at Kainga Ora by 70%.

Shows how bankrupt & devoid of ideas Ardern, Hipkins and the Labour Party are to solve problems - their one answer was and still is to throw as much money as they can borrow at the problem and increase the number of bureaucrats along with more rules and regulations.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1691100335060-VCWQ5NZMSCF2M6DZKW7L/The+Book.jpg?format=500w

Really where have you heard of the volume of people sleeping in cars & tents etc as it was when National was in Government?

I think you will find many of those waiting for State Houses are in emergency housing.

[Daytr]

There are lots of NGOs, community service providers and iwi that could do a much better job at managing some of this housing stock than HNZ

Yep possibly, Labour did incorporate some of that. As I said there is a balance to be had for sure. However they don't have the funds to buy or build them, that's where the Government steps in. They are the only ones with the balance sheet to fund it.

[blackcap]

Yep possibly, Labour did incorporate some of that. As I said there is a balance to be had for sure. However they don't have the funds to buy or build them, that's where the Government steps in. They are the only ones with the balance sheet to fund it.

That is where I disagree. They don't have the funds or balance sheet to provide it. That is your and my money. Not to be wasted. It is not theirs and it is not there for printing. That is just abuse of power.

[Logen Ninefingers]

And Labour's answer & solution is to increase the number of people sleeping in cars & tents and those on the state housing waiting list by 350%!

That's after spending billions of dollars and increasing the number of staff at Kainga Ora by 70%.

Shows how bankrupt & devoid of ideas Ardern, Hipkins and the Labour Party are to solve problems - their one answer was and still is to throw as much money as they can borrow at the problem and increase the number of bureaucrats along with more rules and regulations.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1691100335060-VCWQ5NZMSCF2M6DZKW7L/The+Book.jpg?format=500w

It was actually supposed to be 1 billion trees.

[Daytr]

That is where I disagree. They don't have the funds or balance sheet to provide it. That is your and my money. Not to be wasted. It is not theirs and it is not there for printing. That is just abuse of power.

Actually they do.
Despite the huge increase in Government debt under Labour it is still relatively low compared to its peers on a GDP basis. And when that debt is spent on assets it is offset by their ownership of the houses. I would rather debt was spent on assets rather than just spent.

[Getty]

It was actually supposed to be 1 billion trees.

Yep, that's right

Labour thought they were money trees...

[Balance]

Really where have you heard of the volume of people sleeping in cars & tents etc as it was when National was in Government?

I think you will find many of those waiting for State Houses are in emergency housing.

370% increase in people living in cars snd tents.

July 21st, 2023 :

Associate Social Development Minster Priyanca Radhakrishnan, under questioning in the House on Thursday afternoon, said Ministry of Social Development (MSD) data showed there were 480 applicants for emergency or transitional housing who listed “a car" as their current accommodation, compared to 102 in October 2017.

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/why-kiwi-couple-moved-to-australia-and-saved-enough-in-a-year-to-travel-the-world/JK7AT66CTVEQPN6DKPGKMYA23I/

Why Kiwi couple moved to Australia - and saved enough in a year to travel the world



Thanks Labour for converting Kiwiland into a Third World hole and Crime cesspit in record 6 year timespan ;)


This commentary in the Article makes interesting reading ;)

[iceman]

Actually they do.
Despite the huge increase in Government debt under Labour it is still relatively low compared to its peers on a GDP basis. And when that debt is spent on assets it is offset by their ownership of the houses. I would rather debt was spent on assets rather than just spent.

Please do not try to justify Labour’s wasteful expenditure by saying it was capital expenditure. It wasn’t. It was wasted and you know it

[Daytr]

Please do not try to justify Labour’s wasteful expenditure by saying it was capital expenditure. It wasn’t. It was wasted and you know it

Iceman, you are going off topic, I am referring specifically to the increased debt by Housing NZ.

This discussion started with Balance's post about Housing NZ increasing debt by circa $9Bln. Well that debt was largely spent on public housing which are assets.

[Daytr]

370% increase in people living in cars snd tents.

July 21st, 2023 :

Associate Social Development Minster Priyanca Radhakrishnan, under questioning in the House on Thursday afternoon, said Ministry of Social Development (MSD) data showed there were 480 applicants for emergency or transitional housing who listed “a car" as their current accommodation, compared to 102 in October 2017.

Fair enough.
I am skeptical about that number in 2017.
There were entire communities of people that were living in cars etc and gathering for safety.
People applying for emergency housing and people living in cars & tents don't necessarily mean the same thing, I.e how many in 2017 didn't apply as housing as an issue was swept under the rug by National.

You complain about, the waiting lists increasing & you complain about the Government proving more emergency & state housing. We'll if they hadn't spent money on emergency housing or State Houses the numbers of homeless would have skyrocketed into an epidemic.

The real issue imo is Labour's tinkering with the investment property rules & allowances. This certainly impacted the private rental market.
More recently the huge amount of immigrants who don't have residency has put more pressure on the rental market.

[Balance]

Iceman, you are going off topic, I am referring specifically to the increased debt by Housing NZ.

This discussion started with Balance's post about Housing NZ increasing debt by circa $9Bln. Well that debt was largely spent on public housing which are assets.

Expensive and over-priced assets.

Dumb, stupid, incompetent and typical of the spendthrift with no accountability government of Ardern, Hipkins and the Maori cabal.

[Aaron]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/why-kiwi-couple-moved-to-australia-and-saved-enough-in-a-year-to-travel-the-world/JK7AT66CTVEQPN6DKPGKMYA23I/

Why Kiwi couple moved to Australia - and saved enough in a year to travel the world

Thanks Labour for converting Kiwiland into a Third World hole and Crime cesspit in record 6 year timespan ;)

This commentary in the Article makes interesting reading ;)

Like this one?

“Starting with having to pay less income tax.
“An average Australian full-time salary of $95k requires you to pay roughly $21,300 income tax per year.
“In New Zealand, on the same salary (if you can find a job that pays the equivalent), you would be required to pay around $23,200 in income tax per year.”

Tax in NZ on $95k would be $22,270 but maybe she takes into account the deductions.
Also in Australia there is no income tax on the first $18,200 how do they manage that?

$0 – $18,200 0% Nil
$18,201 – $45,000 19% 19c for each $1 over $18,200
$45,001 – $120,000 32.5% $5,092 plus 32.5c for each $1 over $45,000
$120,001 – $180,000 37% $29,467 plus 37c for each $1 over $120,000
$180,001 and over 45% $51,667 plus 45c for each $1 over $180,000

Looks like it is very progressive income tax rates that allow the reduced burden on low income earners. 45% over $180,000. Chris Luxon can't even stand 39%.
She also does not mention capital gains tax, probably as she is flitting around the world blogging.

She is right though Australia does appear to be a lot better, but not for the reasons stated in the article.

Reading the opinion of airhead influencers is probably bad for a person's understanding of the world.

Blaming Labour for NZs situation is a bit rich. Tax policy has hardly changed between Labour and National over the years. John Key and Jacinda Ardern were in lockstep when it came to tax. "No capital gains tax while I am Prime Minister" seems to be a requirement to be PM in NZ, although Chris Luxon has not said it, in his case it goes without saying as we lean more towards third world policies of lower taxes and smaller govt.

Labour was a good example of why bigger govt is not better and the money wasted while not achieving much at all was terrible but to take a selfish self-centred "I'm alright Jack" approach to policy like Seymour and Luxon is also probably not in the nations best interest.

[Panda-NZ-]

The only tax National/Act might have a point with is the payroll tax across the ditch. Not progressive taxes or CGT and all that stuff which are commonplace among more developed societies.

I guess the Aussie states need revenue.

[iceman]

Iceman, you are going off topic, I am referring specifically to the increased debt by Housing NZ.

This discussion started with Balance's post about Housing NZ increasing debt by circa $9Bln. Well that debt was largely spent on public housing which are assets.

Much of the increased debt is for endless and repeated maintenance or rebuilds due to idiots continuously damaging the houses they have provided for them. Labour's no eviction policy caused a major increase in damage because people know they will never be evicted. Idiotic.

[nztx]

The only tax National/Act might have a point with is the payroll tax across the ditch. Not progressive taxes or CGT and all that stuff which are commonplace among more developed societies.

I guess the Aussie states need revenue.



Remember Robbo's prize pet project - "Unemployment Insurance Scheme" ? ;)

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/05/not-a-broken-promise-grant-robertson-says-new-unemployment-insurance-will-be-paid-via-levy-not-a-tax.html

'Not a broken promise': Grant Robertson says new unemployment insurance will be paid via levy, not a tax


Then things started to turn

Ironically the fat boy got made unemployed and sent skidding down the road and this pie in the sky
scheme never got go before another ditching .. with much pre-requisite wasted cost & energy ploughed in behind the scenes in the usual Labour wasteful manner ;)


And just for measure - the Aussies don't need to look far for what generates their revenue.

Different story here .. and most intriguing when it comes to a certain bunch of Economic Incompetents and Retards trying to fill the bucket to cover projects which invariably have left them with nothing to show for what got spent.

Here in NZ the Labour Govt squatters have often had to resort to navel gazing to generate revenue
after shafting what is and was standing badly over in cycles of the Socialist greed to wastefully fund
poorly planned & executed squander ups on projects that never got off the ground past the vast chapters of fees, consultamnts and other feel good palm greasing ;)

[nztx]

Expensive and over-priced assets.

Dumb, stupid, incompetent and typical of the spendthrift with no accountability government of Ardern, Hipkins and the Maori cabal.


There usually always has to be some sort of bubble under any Labour Govt looking back
to which the fast money does flow and all the flaws & nooks & crannies of Labour's
incompetence in creating that bubble then gets exposed..

Then it's game over, the fast money retreats, usually the Labour Govt's incompetence
with over correction to fix what they then saw & didn't like then leaves large swathes
damaged, in trouble or severely harmed out of Labour's interference in things in
the first place ;)


We saw plenty of that in the past six Labour years .. how many times did the Fat Boy shoot from the hip ? ;)

Each time casualties or targets left injured .. Have to love Labour Governments

They sure know how to fire fast ill thought-out rounds and take both their feet off in close succession ..

Then they undoubtedly must wonder why they got kicked into the gutter by Joe Public ;)

Slow learners perhaps .. or just went to School / Uni for the good times & parties ? ;)

[iceman]

Treasury reports out this morning show that Government expenditure has increased by 73% between 2018 & 2024. Great management.

[jonu]

Treasury reports out this morning show that Government expenditure has increased by 73% between 2018 & 2024. Great management.

Good luck University of Otago. I know where they could save 600k per year straight away.

[Getty]

Good luck University of Otago. I know where they could save 600k per year straight away.

$600k.
I presume you mean Robbo's salary once he's on board?

Over the top.

The PM gets $470k

Ministers between $250 to $300 k.

Doesn't seem like the demotion some would wish on him

Maybe it's time l dusted off my CV!

[iceman]

$600k.
I presume you mean Robbo's salary once he's on board?

Over the top.

The PM gets $470k

Ministers between $250 to $300 k.

Doesn't seem like the demotion some would wish on him

Maybe it's time l dusted off my CV!

$ 639k to be exact and no prior experience in the field required. Go and get the duster

[Baa_Baa]

$ 639k to be exact and no prior experience in the field required. Go and get the duster

Un-forking-believable. Hard to know what Otago Uni are thinking, hiring the muppet who has financially wrecked the country.

[Getty]

Leaves one wondering who are the true capitalists vs the socialists in this country.

What's Cinders pay packet these days?

[nztx]

Leaves one wondering who are the true capitalists vs the socialists in this country.

What's Cinders pay packet these days?


Doesn't that mean there might be some Socialist rich plicks sailing around ? :)


Google say:


Former officeholders are entitled to annuity and travel payments for the rest of their lives. Former prime ministers who held the office for no less than two years are entitled to a yearly rate of $10,900 for each complete year the person held office, with a maximum of $54,500 payable annually.

[nztx]

$ 639k to be exact and no prior experience in the field required. Go and get the duster


Does he score another bundle each year from Parliamentary Services for X years parked up in the Beehive as well or maybe not ? ;)

Or just three months pay to clean out his desk ?

Perhaps it's also just free return air travel to clear the accumulated junk out of their offices :)

Bad news if they didn't need to fly in to do so, it appears - not even a wheelie bin allowance to cart
all the junk away if squatting locally ;)


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/election-2023-nanaia-mahuta-michael-wood-and-tamati-coffey-inside-ousted-mps-exit-perks/52UPYNRDT5DC5JU2J42W7MMBDQ/


Hints of past Annual Pensions here:

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/exit-perks-for-ousted-mps-salary-travel-and-pension-for-labour-mps-leaving-parliament/

The gold plated pension looks like it's history

but this still applies - "MPs also receive a generous pension, getting $2.50 for every $1 contributed."


Poor sod looks like he's done himself no favours by not wanting the Leader's job for whatever brief
benefit that may have scored ;)

Probably now wishing he had have bulldozed his Unemployment Insurance Pie in the Sky scheme through a few years back ;)

Alas but there's Otago who have appeared out of nowhere wanting to be sympathetic to the plight of a soon to become Unemployed Labour Finance Minister, even with their very own unique position ;)

Will they receive a special Support subsidy to help out paying for expensive new talent enlisted on their payroll ? ;) Who pays for all that & the bells & whistles on top ?

Not forgetting the vast amount of further Staff Training needed to get the new staff enrollee up to speed ..
after the comfortable Beehive existence of many of Chippy's Sausage Rolls, the occasional Roar in Chambers, the odd chinwaggle with RB Governor, flinging a few bills though, Fudging up the odd Budget and past that - the official Ministerial lifestyle of taxpayer funded luxury and much laxing out - it could take some time retraining to lose all of the former lifestyle's curious habits ;)

[tim23]

Touche - and they'll do it again because that's what National Govts do best!
History would suggest Labour build houses and National sell them - dumb.

[nztx]

History would suggest Labour build houses and National sell them - dumb.


Recent history would suggest Labour build very few of houses promised after much loud squawking and then get very large increase in homeless on top - dumb :)

[ynot]

History would suggest Labour build houses and National sell them - dumb.

That was when labour was run by workers, not communists.

[tim23]

That was when labour was run by workers, not communists.
Why am I not surprised by such a dumb response.

[Balance]

Why am I not surprised by such a dumb response.

Because you are dumb.

Dumb to believe in the myth of 100,000 Kiwibuild homes. Where are your heroes Ardern & Robertson? Big fat cats. Big big fat sloppy spin and BS artists.

[Baa_Baa]

The desperate and dateless left wing supporters come across here as, pitiful and impotent, with their whinging and whining around the fringes. There are bigger fish to fry with the Coalition having spent the past 100 days revoking numerous Labour laws, setting the process for new policy and new laws. But not a word they say about the really big things going on, just moaning about entitlements and other small and insignificant matters.

Pitiful, useless, and inept with no grounding in practical reality, when they were in government. Focus on the big things, focus on what really matters, just focus for a change on what is really going to get NZ moving ahead. You have been marginalised, for good reason based on six years of squandering the opportunity that you had, and sadly for you, whatever your opposition says has no relevance or impact now on reality.

The Labour opposition is out of ammo and floundering to make any coherent response to their multitude of failings, let alone respond to the Coalition response to putting it right. Except sniping on minor things from the fringes. People see that, we're not blind to their ineptitude, abject failure to deliver while they had the chance (for six years!), and now thrashing around sniping at snippets that no one really cares about. None of it puts food on the table, increases NZ Inc prosperity, it's just dated and dirty gutter politics. Let it go.

It's going to be a tough, at least, three years for you, you got voted out, cast into irrelevance, imo where you belong and should stay.

[Panda-NZ-]

When you take away or repeal something.. there is a constituency there who will lose out.

Labour is a voice for these people right now. ;)

[Panda-NZ-]

The real issues are the petrol tax broken promise and the many fee hikes during a cost of living crisis.

[Balance]

The desperate and dateless left wing ….

It's going to be a tough, at least, three years for you, you got voted out, cast into irrelevance, imo where you belong and should stay.

And to rub salt into Labour’s wounds, their Coalition partner Greens celebrated like demented demons on election night to crow about the seats they took off Labour!!!!

Just imagine - Green losers celebrating the bigger Labour loser’s election disaster!

Can only happen with Hapless Hipkins, his Maori cabal and his bunch of pathetic ‘heads in the sand’ ostrich MPs.

[nztx]

When you take away or repeal something.. there is a constituency there who will lose out.

Labour is a voice for these people right now. ;)

The same clueless Labour mob whose incompetent policies skyrocketed their Rents & COL cost toward the ceiling
and only managed to build a small fraction of promised houses, had record homelessness, while near on bankrupting
the country and loading up excess debt for future generations ? ;)

The Labour crew were pretty good at taking away things and failing to manage things ;)

How many futures have they damaged or impaired through that ?

[nztx]

The real issues are the petrol tax broken promise and the many fee hikes during a cost of living crisis.

During Labour's closing months in - you must be referring to which Labour were tone deaf to COL after a just token payout from Robbo probably all gone months before it landed .. then nothing more .. What a caring bunch of Politically clueless and almost a repeat of the end of the earlier Clark / Cullen reign where in closing months, very similar was seen and all got left sucking the kumara while COL, fuel cost etc went north ;)

Don't think anyone has forgotten the earlier instance, because they haven't and the end of the Ardern / Robbo / Hipkins reign repeated the same almost identical as their tenure also was sliding down the dunny without any answers from them ;)

It must really have made your day when Commandant Parker was advocating 12c / Ltr fuel tax increases coming up under Labour in near future - just back in Aug 2023 a few months before the Labour mob got dumped, or perhaps you were asleep at the time when that came through :)

That was just months after Robbo's fuel tax reductions came off too

Imagine what poor Aucklanders would have been hit with - their own Regional Fuel Tax from Labour and another Parker prescribed 12c Ltr on top .. that might have properly skrewed over many individuals & businesses that managed to survive Labour's Idiotic late Auckland region lock downs ;)

No points for guessing why many parts of Auckland have very little time for the Labour mob after that sort of oppressive carry on punishing them ;)

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/nz-film-commission-approves-800000-public-funding-for-new-jacinda-ardern-documentary-media-insider/7C2PTDNZP5DCBFGGRCOUESZ3HY/

NZ Film Commission approves $800,000 public funding for new Jacinda Ardern documentary - Media Insider


bound to make a few smile ;)

[777]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/nz-film-commission-approves-800000-public-funding-for-new-jacinda-ardern-documentary-media-insider/7C2PTDNZP5DCBFGGRCOUESZ3HY/

NZ Film Commission approves $800,000 public funding for new Jacinda Ardern documentary - Media Insider


bound to make a few smile ;)

Certain to be a failure at the box office.

[nztx]

Certain to be a failure at the box office.


Cripes - the producers must be slow learners after the book that really flew off the shelves ;)

[Joshuatree]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/nz-film-commission-approves-800000-public-funding-for-new-jacinda-ardern-documentary-media-insider/7C2PTDNZP5DCBFGGRCOUESZ3HY/

NZ Film Commission approves $800,000 public funding for new Jacinda Ardern documentary - Media Insider


bound to make a few smile ;)

$3.2 mill all up fab .
"Explores the rise of violent online extremism and hatred in NZ while covering Dame Jacinda Aderns leadership.
There's a few of those extremists on here notably blubbermouth Balance,hope it gets the full treatment and is capable of finding a heart buried under its mendacity and learning to be a human again.Not holding my breath though.

[iceman]

$3.2 mill all up fab .
"Explores the rise of violent online extremism and hatred in NZ while covering Dame Jacinda Aderns leadership.
There's a few of those extremists on here notably blubbermouth Balance,hope it gets the full treatment and is capable of finding a heart buried under its mendacity and learning to be a human again.Not holding my breath though.

Well, extremism and hatred will always be connected to Jacinda Ardern's "leadership". Do you ever wonder why and which way it went ? She was the worst hater ever.

[Blue Skies]

Well, extremism and hatred will always be connected to Jacinda Ardern's "leadership". Do you ever wonder why and which way it went ? She was the worst hater ever.



The spike in civil unrest, conflict, division & upheaval happened everywhere around the world, during the Global Covid Pandemic, & will always be associated with those years, not just here in NZ.

Ive often talked about the history of pandemics because if you look back, history is full of examples of pandemics being the incubators of social unrest & conflict from the Black Death, to Spanish Flu, Yellow Fever, the Cholera outbreak in Paris immortalised in Les Miserables, the Cholera outbreak in Naples etc.
Like everywhere else, we eventually ended up just following the same exhausting pattern.

Covid ripped open economic & social divides & made life harder for vulnerable people everywhere around the world.

BUT, NZ having one of the lowest death rates in the whole world, will forever be associated with Jacinda Ardern's leadership, and that is something quite remarkable & outstanding.
To many, she lead with an extraordinary combination of compassion & empathy with a steely resolve, while other politicians swung recklessly in the breeze.
As this once in 100 year crisis unfolded, she listened to & followed the advice of the best Public Health Specialists & Epidemiologists & scientists knowledge at the time. What could be more important.
Im one of literally many many thousands, who would not be alive today if National, NZF or ACT had been in government prioritising votes & their own interests over science & the cost in human lives.

Hopefully with time & distance you & others will be able to look back at this period with some perspective, and see that the social division, unrest & extremism is simply a consequence of most pandemics everywhere, and wasn't something unique to NZ.

It was the most difficult & exhausting time to be a leader anywhere in the world & esp when faced with the ugly mysoginy she had to put up with as well.




https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/07/22/covid-global-unrest-political-upheaval/

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-11-14/2020-s-covid-protests-are-a-sign-of-the-social-unrest-to-come

https://www.visionofhumanity.org/world-less-peaceful-as-civil-unrest-and-political-instability-increases-due-to-covid-19-pandemic/

https://www.economist.com/international/2021/07/31/the-pandemic-has-exacerbated-existing-political-discontent

[Balance]

Well, extremism and hatred will always be connected to Jacinda Ardern's "leadership". Do you ever wonder why and which way it went ? She was the worst hater ever.

Ardern's leadership will forever be remembered as one of deceit, divisiveness, incompetence, self-interest, wastefulness and total lack of delivery.

https://scontent.fakl1-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/217892667_4650733091605819_5908881379908430097_n.j pg?stp=dst-jpg_s261x260&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=XgBrdkrrAUUAX_EtrPa&_nc_ht=scontent.fakl1-4.fna&oh=00_AfDU6M3LCtf5ZWBz7-429GiBuP-io9fEFHc5gQhS5xHMkg&oe=65F2A166

Plus, she is a QUITTER.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F248Bs1aoAAoHXL?format=jpg&name=medium

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1665949645979-XJARCDDIRBYZAUT0D7CB/Demolition+copy.jpg?format=500w

https://i0.wp.com/nopunchespulled.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Garrick-Tremain.jpg?w=1193&ssl=1

[fungus pudding]

Ardern's leadership will forever be remembered as one of deceit, divisiveness, incompetence, self-interest, wastefulness and total lack of delivery.

https://scontent.fakl1-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/217892667_4650733091605819_5908881379908430097_n.j pg?stp=dst-jpg_s261x260&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=XgBrdkrrAUUAX_EtrPa&_nc_ht=scontent.fakl1-4.fna&oh=00_AfDU6M3LCtf5ZWBz7-429GiBuP-io9fEFHc5gQhS5xHMkg&oe=65F2A166

Plus, she is a QUITTER.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F248Bs1aoAAoHXL?format=jpg&name=medium

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1665949645979-XJARCDDIRBYZAUT0D7CB/Demolition+copy.jpg?format=500w

https://i0.wp.com/nopunchespulled.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Garrick-Tremain.jpg?w=1193&ssl=1


I guess you won't be watching to see how your 800,000 dollars was spent - although I think in NZ it will be on TV. You might have to go abroad to catch it on the big screen.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350207289/jacinda-ardern-get-documentary-treatment

[Balance]

I guess you won't be watching to see how your 800,000 dollars was spent - although I think in NZ it will be on TV. You might have to go abroad to catch it on the big screen.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350207289/jacinda-ardern-get-documentary-treatment

LOL - I read that and thought, here we go - straight to You Tube after a few viewings for 'free' viewing.

Ardern & the docu-maker reckon she is still popular and has currency after ever more of her misdeeds and deceitful ways are being revealed each day.

Notice she does not dare to show her hypocrisy ladened face in NZ these days?

[Getty]

There's a Gayford bloke who makes a doco or two.

Will he have any input, or does he have a jaundiced view of the inside story?...

[nztx]

There's a Gayford bloke who makes a doco or two.

Will he have any input, or does he have a jaundiced view of the inside story?...



what ? .. more fishy tales of the odd one or two that run away ? ;)


must of run out of fish prepared to front, so had to move on to houses wanting new sites ;)



wonder where the drip feed straw for all them series was hooked up to ? ;)

[Daytr]

Ardern's leadership will forever be remembered as one of deceit, divisiveness, incompetence, self-interest, wastefulness and total lack of delivery.

https://scontent.fakl1-4.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/217892667_4650733091605819_5908881379908430097_n.j pg?stp=dst-jpg_s261x260&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=XgBrdkrrAUUAX_EtrPa&_nc_ht=scontent.fakl1-4.fna&oh=00_AfDU6M3LCtf5ZWBz7-429GiBuP-io9fEFHc5gQhS5xHMkg&oe=65F2A166

Plus, she is a QUITTER.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F248Bs1aoAAoHXL?format=jpg&name=medium

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52aca146e4b06d986ca82df3/1665949645979-XJARCDDIRBYZAUT0D7CB/Demolition+copy.jpg?format=500w

https://i0.wp.com/nopunchespulled.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Garrick-Tremain.jpg?w=1193&ssl=1

Speaking of extremism.
Extreme views on display for all to see.

[Balance]

Speaking of extremism.
Extreme views on display for all to see.

The truth = extreme views.

I love it!

[Daytr]

The truth = extreme views.

I love it!

Balance, the source of truth! 🤣
Everyone talks about Labour's non delivery.
Well against some of the promises they made the delivery was poor.

National just didn't make promises and swept the huge structural deficiencies NZ was and is facing under the carpet.
Water was a significant issue during National's nine years, what did they do about it?
Housing?
They sold out New Zealanders by selling of half the power companies against the will of the nation. And we are all still paying for that one.

Which is worse? Doing nothing or doing something albeit inefficiently?

[iceman]

Balance, the source of truth! ��
Everyone talks about Labour's non delivery.
Well against some of the promises they made the delivery was poor.

National just didn't make promises and swept the huge structural deficiencies NZ was and is facing under the carpet.
Water was a significant issue during National's nine years, what did they do about it?
Housing?
They sold out New Zealanders by selling of half the power companies against the will of the nation. And we are all still paying for that one.

Which is worse? Doing nothing or doing something albeit inefficiently?

The very successful partial privatisation was a clear election policy that the opposition fought hard against and lost. You are trying to rewrite history

[Daytr]

The very successful partial privatisation was a clear election policy that the opposition fought hard against and lost. You are trying to rewrite history

Seriously? You are doing exactly what you are accusing me of.
The referendum held over the sales had an overwhelming NO to the sales with 2/3rds of those who participated saying no to the sales.

I can present many more articles from the time that said it was a mistake and bad move for the country to sell off some of its best retirning assets. Would you like to see them?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/asset-sales-proceed-in-spite-of-referendum/Q6M3T2YCG6KNJ5JP7JJNQZWQ64/

Beautiful day here, I'm off to enjoy it.

[mistaTea]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/dame-jacinda-ardern-distances-herself-from-new-part-publicly-funded-32-million-documentary-film/S6VGP3KRQNDD3FAVQSIYFDKSC4/

Should be an interesting documentary film.

Ardern not too happy about it by the sounds of it.

Good that these guys do not involve the subjects at all. I wouldn’t watch it if Cindy had a hand in any part of it.

Nor would I if they did one on John Key or any other politician and they were involved.

[ynot]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/dame-jacinda-ardern-distances-herself-from-new-part-publicly-funded-32-million-documentary-film/S6VGP3KRQNDD3FAVQSIYFDKSC4/

Should be an interesting documentary film.

Ardern not too happy about it by the sounds of it.



She is only not happy with the controversy it is generating. She is fine with the content.

[mistaTea]

She is only not happy with the controversy it is generating. She is fine with the content.

All I have seen reported is that she is distancing herself from the documentary and insiders say she is not happy.

Where have you read that she is fine with the topic/content but just unhappy with the controversy being generated? What controversy?

Please share whatever you are reading so I can take a look.

[ynot]

All I have seen reported is that she is distancing herself from the documentary and insiders say she is not happy.

Where have you read that she is fine with the topic/content but just unhappy with the controversy being generated? What controversy?

Please share whatever you are reading so I can take a look.

I'm reading between the lines.

[mistaTea]

I'm reading between the lines.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

[Balance]

She is only not happy with the controversy it is generating. She is fine with the content.

One thing we know very very well with Ardern - everything and anything she does (and did) is for enhancing her brand and profile - nothing to do with doing good for others. It’s all spin and bs - proof is when she quit when it was clear to her that a majority of NZers had woken up and decided she was a fraud. A clueless and useless bs artist.

So her refusal to comment is telling imo.

The key paragraph is this one :

“In a synopsis, the documentary is described as “a social excavation of the rise and fall of the young female leader, Jacinda Ardern, exploring how the mania that propelled her rise later collided with a backlash of hate, told through a bold mash-up of media and peer archive”.

She must be mortified that she cannot control the narrative of the film and there are going to be some extremely in complimentary comments and observations of how she went from unrivalled popularity to downright disdain by the majority of NZers.

I now looking forward to the film.

[ynot]

Riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

With matters regarding Ardern, all may not be as it appears in print, we have seen six years of this.

[fungus pudding]

One thing we know very very well with Ardern - everything and anything she does (and did) is for enhancing her brand and profile - nothing to do with doing good for others. It’s all spin and bs - proof is when she quit when it was clear to her that a majority of NZers had woken up and decided she was a fraud. A clueless and useless bs artist.

So her refusal to comment is telling imo.

The key paragraph is this one :

“In a synopsis, the documentary is described as “a social excavation of the rise and fall of the young female leader, Jacinda Ardern, exploring how the mania that propelled her rise later collided with a backlash of hate, told through a bold mash-up of media and peer archive”.

She must be mortified that she cannot control the narrative of the film and there are going to be some extremely in complimentary comments and observations of how she went from unrivalled popularity to downright disdain by the majority of NZers.

I now looking forward to the film.

Any idea how, when and where will it be released?

[Balance]

Any idea how, when and where will it be released?

2025 - August, I believe.

[fungus pudding]

2025 - August, I believe.

Can't wait!!

[Getty]

Any idea how, when and where will it be released?

The premiere could be at the Mangere wastewater plant.

[Daytr]

Can you imagine a documentary about Key's term in office. What a snooze fest.

Nothing to see hear, nothing to do here, clumsy handshake, flag competition, look over there, nothing to see here, whoops did I really tug that girl's ponytail?

Ardern's after match speech can be summed up like any club rugby captain would before doing a pint.

It was a game of two halves, oh & thanks to the ladies in the kitchen for the spread.
(I can't imagine Ardern saying the last part. 😅)

[mistaTea]

Can you imagine a documentary about Key's term in office. What a snooze fest.

Nothing to see hear, nothing to do here, clumsy handshake, flag competition, look over there, nothing to see here, whoops did I really tug that girl's ponytail?

Ardern's after match speech can be summed up like any club rugby captain would before doing a pint.

It was a game of two halves, oh & thanks to the ladies in the kitchen for the spread.
(I can't imagine Ardern saying the last part. 😅)

Snooze fest? Maybe if you were asleep during that time.

During John Key's tenure as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2008 to 2016, the country saw significant economic management through the global financial crisis and the aftermath of devastating earthquakes in Christchurch. His government was credited with stabilizing the economy and initiating the rebuild of Christchurch. Key's leadership style was generally perceived as pragmatic and personable. However, his tenure also faced criticisms, particularly regarding the handling of the housing crisis, environmental policies, and the controversial TPPA negotiations. His surprise resignation in 2016 marked the end of a highly impactful period in New Zealand's political landscape.

[Bill Smith]

Even Grant the robbers son has had a revelation. He brands the labour party as a bunch of homophobes. Who would have thought?

[Getty]

Even Grant the robbers son has had a revelation. He brands the labour party as a bunch of homophobes. Who would have thought?

Yes, ask the pink suit wearing chair/secretary of the King Country branch of the Labour party, and he will tell you the same.

[Daytr]

Snooze fest? Maybe if you were asleep during that time.

During John Key's tenure as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2008 to 2016, the country saw significant economic management through the global financial crisis and the aftermath of devastating earthquakes in Christchurch. His government was credited with stabilizing the economy and initiating the rebuild of Christchurch. Key's leadership style was generally perceived as pragmatic and personable. However, his tenure also faced criticisms, particularly regarding the handling of the housing crisis, environmental policies, and the controversial TPPA negotiations. His surprise resignation in 2016 marked the end of a highly impactful period in New Zealand's political landscape.

You obviously prefer 1970s Benny Hill type humour than satirical.

You forgot to mention, ignored the looming water infrastructure crisis & sold out all NZers by selling 50% of the power companies despite an overwhelming NO in a referendum.

But yes you're summary is more serious & balanced. The ponytail fixation would certainly need to feature as it's just so bizarre.