Labour / NZ First Government

[iceman]

Why the sigh?
This government had no mandate to spend tens of billions in the manner that they have. No mandate to curtail civil rights in the manner that they have. (this is a statement of fact, not a criticism). They rely solely on parts of the Health Act and Civil Defence Act to move to a State of Emergency.

It is imperative that they are held to close scrutiny through this process. A very small number of people have made decisions to spend billions of dollars with no mandate other than they happened to be in the hotseat at the time.

Absolutely correct. The "sigh" is a typical response. Nobody is supposed to say anything that may seem like criticism of the Government. It is also very debatable whether the "legislative program" is on hold. Only a couple of weeks ago did the Government circumvent normal parliamentary process by pushing through (by stealth) the prisoner voting bill past the select committee. Do not think for a minute this lot is not using this pandemic to quietly advance their political agenda without scrutiny, particulartly through the tens of bilions they are spending in the name of the pandemic. The amounts are so huge that nobody can monitor nor question them, hence the need for parliamentary debate.

[Vagabond47]

*sigh*

https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hans...00325_20200325

Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National): Thank you, Mr Speaker. The National Party stands to support this bill and the efforts of the Government to try and respond to this unprecedented challenge to our way of life and our health and our ability to earn a living and look after ourselves and our families.
[...]
Hon TRACEY MARTIN (Minister of Internal Affairs): I rise on behalf of New Zealand First in support of the Imprest Supply (Third for 2019/20) Bill in front of us today—as has been mentioned, $52 billion that the Government is, I guess, seeking from this House to ensure the work that the Minister of Finance and those supporting him have been doing to support New Zealand businesses, New Zealand's self-employed, New Zealand banks, New Zealand individuals, New Zealand homes, and New Zealand families while we deal with what we need to deal with to address COVID-19.
[...]
Hon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua): I rise with the National Party supporting this legislation, and we do so knowing its importance but also the significant impact it will have on all New Zealanders for so very many years to come. The finance Minister in his intervention earlier said that this is about jobs—saving jobs—and about saving homes, and National agrees with him. Indeed, it's about giving certainty and surety to every single New Zealander and for them to know that this House stands beside them.
[..]
Hon JAMES SHAW (Minister for Climate Change): I rise to confirm the Green Party's support for this imprest supply bill.

[...]
Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): Following discussions across the House, I seek leave for the introduction and passing through all stages of the COVID-19 Response (Taxation and Social Assistance Urgent Measures) Bill and the COVID-19 Response (Urgent Management Measures) Legislation Bill, and that there be no debate on the first and second readings, and no committee stage of those bills.

SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that process being followed? There appears to be none.
1st and 2nd readings..
[..]Third Reading

Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I move, That the COVID-19 Response (Taxation and Social Assistance Urgent Measures) Bill be now read a third time. [...]
[..]
Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National): Thank you, Madam Speaker. National will be supporting this piece of legislation, the COVID-19 Response (Taxation and Social Assistance Urgent Measures) Bill. Ordinarily, we wouldn't be wildly enthusiastic about rushing through legislation involving tax and social security changes. Ordinarily, you would want to spend many months having a select committee process and making sure that things have been done properly and we're not having unintended consequences, but we understand the need to move swiftly. This is part of the Government's COVID-19 response.
[..]
Hon TRACEY MARTIN (Minister of Internal Affairs): Kia ora, Madam Speaker. So I rise on behalf of my colleague Fletcher Tabuteau to contribute on behalf of New Zealand First to the COVID-19 Response (Taxation and Social Assistance Urgent Measures) Bill. New Zealand First will be supporting the bill.
[..]
Hon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua): Madam Speaker, thank you. The National Party also supports this legislation, and we do so because it's important that we can move on and people can have certainty.

Yep, no mandate.. none at all. Clowns

[JBmurc]

With major questions arising over Jacinda Ardern’s judgement in adopting the elimination strategy and imposing one of the strictest lockdowns in the world, the lack of scrutiny of her decision-making is disturbing.

Treasury has quantified the devastating cost to the economy of the PM’s extremist approach. As a result of four weeks of lockdown, unemployment is expected to rise from four per cent to 13.5 per cent – increasing the number of unemployed from 111,000 to 371,000. It’s anticipated that a further $20 billion in Government support will be needed to cushion the blow – in addition to the $25 billion already spent fighting the virus.

According to the OECD, the prime minister’s lockdown will result in New Zealand suffering one of the biggest declines in economic activity in the world

https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star...SdSdome_HnP_5A

[Vagabond47]

Ah yes, of course ignoring that the effect on NZ is greater because we have a great reliance on tourism than most other OECD countries (not the world, lets be accurate here), and the OECD report doesn't take into account the effects of the stimulus package. Wouldn't matter who was in govt, or whether we closed our borders or not, even if our borders weren't closed, pretty much everybody else's are, tourism is stone cold dead, globally.

Meanwhile look at our covid death rate compared to Ireland, a country with similar population. They have almost as meany dead as we've had cases, oh and they've extended their lockdown another 3 weeks.. that makes it 5 weeks. Perhaps you'd like to look to the USA, where they didn't lockdown soon enough.. but they did mostly lockdown in the end.. (like pretty much everybody else has eventually), so they have refrigerated trucks holding the overflow from the morgues in cities and at rest homes nationwide. And the labour coalition f--ked it up you say? bwahaha.

PS: Sweden, which the coronavirus ignorant seem to love to trot out as model for success for not locking down.. the OECD report predicts a slightly greater GDP hit for them than NZ. And they've already got 2200 deaths in a population a fraction over twice our size.

I applaud the righties, for doing such a good job of staying in your bubbles.. pity the MOH & PM meant household/social bubbles.

[kiora]

It seems to me that , in hindsight,
That when the Level 4 was announced in NZ there was an extraordinary amount of unknown unknowns about COVID 19
What was known was there was an extraordinary amount of deaths in affected countries
That it was spreading at an alarming rate

And that in hindsight
Italy in particular has such a high rate of deaths because they continued to keep their businesses open
That for Level 4 to work relies on social distancing
That social distancing would only work if people's needs where supplied to them as much as possible otherwise they would need to work/try to find work
While the Govt handouts is likely to just delay the inevitable collapse of companies it has allowed Level 4 to do its work it eliminating Covid 19
Was the handouts to much?,not enough?,to broad?,not broad enough?

Whatever they where it allowed Level 4 to work

[kiora]

I hope this is not NZ and we are are moving away from this
"The trend towards centralised, authoritarian rule evident in countries such as India, Brazil and Turkey, and typified by China and Russia, has coincided with the rise of rightwing nationalist-populist governments and parties in Europe. Some are now following China’s lead in attempting to weaponise the virus for political ends."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...hape-the-world
And more
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/...+28+April+2020

[blackcap]

I hope this is not NZ and we are are moving away from this
"The trend towards centralised, authoritarian rule evident in countries such as India, Brazil and Turkey, and typified by China and Russia, has coincided with the rise of rightwing nationalist-populist governments and parties in Europe. Some are now following China’s lead in attempting to weaponise the virus for political ends."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...hape-the-world
And more
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/...+28+April+2020

Well it looks like we are already right in the middle of it with our glorious leader Jacinda and the apparachik telling us all what we can and cannot do. Questions being answered with a "no" and left at that. "only believe us and our handlers". Definitely centralised left wing authoritarian rule evident in NZ. Not good, quite worrying really.

[fungus pudding]

Well it looks like we are already right in the middle of it with our glorious leader Jacinda and the apparachik telling us all what we can and cannot do. Questions being answered with a "no" and left at that. "only believe us and our handlers". Definitely centralised left wing authoritarian rule evident in NZ. Not good, quite worrying really.

Thank your lucky bits that Muldoon is no longer around to share his wisdom among the us all.

[kiora]

WB thoughts sound interesting
“It means increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit, because I think that's a better system,” he added. “What they need is more money in their pocket. Now, you can do more money in the pocket through a minimum wage, but you don't have as many people working. You need something so they have money in their pocket.”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/warre...134650421.html

[blackcap]

Thank your lucky bits that Muldoon is no longer around to share his wisdom among the us all.

Well you have a point although I was a bit young to remember Muldoon. My interest in politics starts with Lange and Douglas. I have read a lot about Muldoon though. Seems a very interesting character.