Same in the Ukraine - more people die of old age rather than Putin's bombs?
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6 weeks of my time spent in the UK, mainly SE England and South Wales visiting family & friends that seem to hold across the spectrum political views as far as I can see/hear. They play both cricket and rugby there.
Can't see much gushing over Ardern from any of them, including wife's close childhood friend who is a 3 term Labour MP in the House of Commons. Admittedly she asked a lot of questions though.
The difference between you & me is you're thinking about it from a personal point of view, whereas I'm looking at it from a best for the country policy viewpoint.
As Biden in the US, the British people, even the markets have firmly said, cutting the tax rates for the wealthy in the midst of a cost of living crisis & trying to get inflation under control is insane.
Imagine for a moment you're the Minister of Finance.
With everything from rates, insurance, food, power, rents, mortgages going through the roof, would your priority be to give someone wealthy on the PM's $471,000 salary an $18,000 tax cut, while thousand of Kiwis are struggling on $45,000 per year will get less than $200, or the average NZ worker will get $800 ?
Is that good policy for the country, will that make a positive difference to helping people pay their bills, get to the doctor, afford proper heating, afford the school donations & extra curricular activities & decent lunches for the kids, etc ?
OR would you prefer we further increase the wealth/poverty Inequality Gap, further increasing stress on families & marriages, and instead depend on private philanthropic donations from the wealthy to give at their discretion to a number of competing agencies clipping the ticket, to pick up the pieces from the growing numbers finding themselves unable to pay their bills & in dire financial situations.
This is nothing to do with National haters or Jacinda fawners, its about whats best for our country at the moment.
When it comes to election campaigning, I can just see Adern making mince meat of Luxon's tax policy when she contrasts herself rejecting an extra $18,000 tax cut on her $471,000 PM's salary, against Luxon with 7 houses, a large salary, no financial stress wanting to give himself if he become PM an extra $18,000 a year, while so many families are struggling to pay their bills & we are trying to get inflation under control.
With the economy doing well, govt debt low, exporters thriving, Labour are bound to make some adjustments to the tax regime next year aimed at relief for middle NZ & pitched in stark contrast to Nationals tax policy which is heavily pitched towards the wealthy & provides little relief to most Kiwis.
Could cost Luxon the election.
I wouldn't say my contacts gushed over her either. Maybe I should have said a more positive opinion compared to their own governments. The comments were along the lines of - at least you have a better a PM than us or at least your government acted quickly with the lockdown etc. The fact they knew a little bit about what was happening in NZ, was mostly more than they had previously been aware of...other than stuff about the All Blacks.
Doctors give the big thumbs down to Te Whatu Ora - another centralisation disaster by Ardern & her useless mob.
All spin and zero delivery but in the process, squandering on bureaucracy rather than health improvements, hundreds of millions of dollars of desperately needed funds.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/hea...ealth-agencies
The unanimous response was that there were no improvements – in fact access to specialist services was worse.
“The only difference we have seen is the change in letterhead on the letters rejecting our referrals,” he said.
Yep, and who couldn't see it coming?
Now, with the effective repealing of the Tohunga suppression act, it's only a matter of time before Voodoo men from the Congo are on the desirable assisted immigrant list.
Remember where you heard it first, and don't laugh, because it is you who will be paying.
Thanks Labour.
Our PM has a kind heart
Spotted the PM in town, she packed Neve in the car and went back to give this man some money
https://twitter.com/Nakiman/status/1...mc-XUhis4MG6Qg
Photo's included
Mind you Julie will reprimand her for not biking into town .... lives nearby
So who would you rather believe - the spin from Ardern or those on the cold face dealing with the reality of poverty & homelessness?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/...ggle-with-need
"The Associate Housing Minister Marama Davidson said the latest six-monthly progress report on the government's plan to tackle homelessness shows milestones being met."
"Wellington's City Missioner says there is unprecedented demand for its emergency and transitional housing right now. Wellington missioner Murray Edridge said on the ground the situation was dire. "We're very full in our services, and we've got a cohort of people that are harder off than they've ever been."
Ardern to leave politics?
Is she a quitter or a fighter?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/bryce-...ALEK5HKF4BXTY/
“The Labour Party annual conference takes place next month, and will be a chance for Ardern and her colleagues to show that the party has some new ideas and momentum. There are so many problems building up steam at the moment, and yet Labour and Ardern look like they have run out of steam and ideas themselves. When this happens, it’s normally a good idea to consider the political exit door earlier than waiting to be pushed out.”
Article in NZ Herald Business premium section today re Mahuta nepotism in government work.
Perhaps some days in the Rarotongan sun, rather than the Waikato fog, have shed some light.
Looks like Jacinda's (sic tim) sweep it under the carpet crew have got their jobs for a while yet...
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/...2JPTVIVWYMXAM/
“…..: Mahuta was in "clear breach of the Cabinet Manual, overseeing the appointment of her niece to a paid position for which she [Mahuta] had ministerial responsibility."
There were five non-government members appointed to the working group; they were paid a total of $44,094.80. Te Puni Kōkiri declined to break the sum down by individual payment.
Hope the "most transparent government" ever is not trying to brush this mess under the carpet.
Whatever it was - it needs full investigation and transparency - I guess surely - we can't allow allegations of corruption (nepotism is one form of corruption) swirl around one of our most important ministers, can we?
Any honorable government would have by now released Mahuta from her duties until the whole issue is cleared up - one way or another.
Would save as well lots of money she could not burn during her suspension on three waters. Win - win.
Ardern would not dare touch any of the Maori cabal - just have to watch her squirmed when she was quizzed about the racist behaviour of the cabal. She rejected the premise of the question.