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https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/a...ectid=12353188
This passes for election coverage by NZ media of issues pertinent to NZers making the right decision as to who to vote?
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 Originally Posted by Balance
Well, in the context of all the inept and disgraced MP's National did select over the last handful of years (like e.g. Ross, Walker, & Falloon) and considering that some of the older hands of National seem to have been similarly flawed (Boag anyone) without the party being able to cleanse the filth, does this article not inspire any confidence in the robustness and integrity of Nationals candidate selection process.
It feels like a party which was too long in power and unfortunately they did not use the last three years in opposition to improve - quite the opposite. They used this time to get rid of the better candidates they still had.
I think it would be good they get some more years on the opposition benches to give them a chance to sort out their processes and get rid of all the filth. I hope they use this time - NZ does need and deserve a capable opposition with high integrity!
Discl: Voted in the past more often for National (or ACT) than for any other party while living in NZ. However - unlikely to follow this pattern this time.
Last edited by BlackPeter; 03-08-2020 at 04:48 PM.
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"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future" (Niels Bohr)
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Originally Posted by BlackPeter
Well, in the context of all the inept and disgraced MP's National did select over the last handful of years (like e.g. Ross, Walker, & Falloon) and considering that some of the older hands of National seem to have been similarly flawed (Boag anyone) without the party being able to cleanse the filth, does this article not inspire any confidence in the robustness and integrity of Nationals candidate selection process.
It feels like a party which was too long in power and unfortunately they did not use the last three years in opposition to improve - quite the opposite. They used this time to get rid of the better candidates they still had.
I think it would be good they get some more years on the opposition benches to give them a chance to sort out their processes and get rid of all the filth. I hope they use this time - NZ does need and deserve a capable opposition with high integrity!
Discl: Voted in the past more often for National (or ACT) than for any other party while living in NZ. However - unlikely to follow this pattern this time.
Labour's problem is beyond Ardern, Robertson and a couple of others there is simply no talent. It's pretty obvious when you see the likes of Twyfod, and Davis way up in their ranks what their problem is. I don't like their coalition mates either. And I hate to think what tax schemes they're dreaming up. Death duties? Gift duties? Or a brand new surprise.
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Originally Posted by fungus pudding
Labour's problem is beyond Ardern, Robertson and a couple of others there is simply no talent. It's pretty obvious when you see the likes of Twyfod, and Davis way up in their ranks what their problem is. I don't like their coalition mates either. And I hate to think what tax schemes they're dreaming up. Death duties? Gift duties? Or a brand new surprise.
I agree with your assessment that Labours talent pool does have its limits. On the other hand - National lost recently a lot of good people as well (Nicky Kay, Amy Adams, Muller) just because they could not suppress their urges to play dirty politics. National as well did provide plenty of evidence that their hiring process (candidate selection) has nothing to do with looking for talent ... safe seat, no experience or talent required! Not sure what they saw in Ross, Walker or Falloon, but they clearly did get self-serving bullies with actually little desirable talents.
So - if the choice is between a bunch of bully inepts with mean aspirations and a bunch of well meaning inepts with at least good intentions, where are we supposed to go?
Re taxes ... I agree that it is likely they will rise. Somebody will have to pay the bills for Covid. Somebody will need to pay the cost for an increasing number of old people in society - and this is not just the superannuation. Somebody will need to pay to prepare the country for climate change and for still keeping this country worthwhile to live in for young people (i.e. good education, health system and job opportunities).
We can either further increase inequality by making poor people still worse off by increasing austerity and run the country down (look at Greece or Spain if you want examples), or we can find some ways to remove some surplus "fat" from the better off people (who by the way got again richer thanks to the latest crisis). What about a wee Covid windfall tax?
I don't know about you, but I am sure I won't be able to take our money to the after-live (if there is such a thing). Why would an inheritance tax be so terrible? But obviously are there plenty of other options ... Not sure what the best way is, but I am sure that we will need to pay more taxes if we want to keep living in a country which is worthwhile to live in.
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"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future" (Niels Bohr)
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Originally Posted by BlackPeter
I agree with your assessment that Labours talent pool does have its limits. On the other hand - National lost recently a lot of good people as well (Nicky Kay, Amy Adams, Muller) just because they could not suppress their urges to play dirty politics. National as well did provide plenty of evidence that their hiring process (candidate selection) has nothing to do with looking for talent ... safe seat, no experience or talent required! Not sure what they saw in Ross, Walker or Falloon, but they clearly did get self-serving bullies with actually little desirable talents.
So - if the choice is between a bunch of bully inepts with mean aspirations and a bunch of well meaning inepts with at least good intentions, where are we supposed to go?
Re taxes ... I agree that it is likely they will rise. Somebody will have to pay the bills for Covid. Somebody will need to pay the cost for an increasing number of old people in society - and this is not just the superannuation. Somebody will need to pay to prepare the country for climate change and for still keeping this country worthwhile to live in for young people (i.e. good education, health system and job opportunities).
We can either further increase inequality by making poor people still worse off by increasing austerity and run the country down (look at Greece or Spain if you want examples), or we can find some ways to remove some surplus "fat" from the better off people (who by the way got again richer thanks to the latest crisis). What about a wee Covid windfall tax?
I don't know about you, but I am sure I won't be able to take our money to the after-live (if there is such a thing). Why would an inheritance tax be so terrible? But obviously are there plenty of other options ... Not sure what the best way is, but I am sure that we will need to pay more taxes if we want to keep living in a country which is worthwhile to live in.
BP you make some good comments, many that I agree with but to point out "bullying" in National but ignoring the same happening in Labour with Ministers and the biggest bully of them all, the Speaker, undermines your argument:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/pol...aitiri-inquiry
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/a...ectid=12262363
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/a...ectid=12350150
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Last edited by BlackPeter; 04-08-2020 at 10:40 AM.
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"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future" (Niels Bohr)
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Originally Posted by BlackPeter
Fair enough - our system is clearly geared to push bullies to the top, no matter which kind of organisation (party, company, church) we are talking. Not sure either I want to stand here as Labors defender, though I must say - if I run e.g. Adern and Collins through the bully-tester, then I am pretty sure with which of these ladies the buzzer will be louder  ;
I agree that a number of the recent Labor ministers did behave in no way better than what I have seen and remember from a number of past National ministers.
I have not enough visibility of new Labor candidates to say whether they are better, worse or similar to Nationals latest harvest. Anyway - not a fan of Labor either, though I think that they would be in the current situation the smaller evil.
If we really apply the ethics test to our MP's along party lines, than I would think that the one sitting MP of ACT as well as most of the sitting Green MP's might look better than the rest ... though I am sure there are good (as well as bad) people in all parties.
I do respect Seymour (but am highly disappointed about his decision to seek support through the gun lobby) and I always thought high of the values of most of the Green MP's I know off ....
"ACT says if gun laws are worth changing, it is worth doing right."
It's hard to argue with much of what Act says about gun law reform; and few would doubt that the coalition's action was anymore than knee-jerk.
https://www.act.org.nz/firearms
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