If National wins ...

[westerly]

Most punters contribute 100% of each bet, including the 20% which is administration and tax. I know this. I am a numbers man. My task is to profit from the system by developing an equation that I can work an modify. If I am successful, it won't be the first time.

Good luck Craic, I have been trying for 50 years, I kept a record of all bets for several years and in one I achieved a small profit. The rest made me decide to just carry on and enjoy the odd win. As a 10 bob punter it doesn.t cost a lot Good luck with the numbers.

westerly

[Sgt Pepper]

Just got my Flag Referendum voting papers today.

At the same time I was reading an article on the governments refusal to repatriate the remains of New Zealand Servicemen killed during the Malaysian Emergency. You see the cost, between $170K-$250k is apparently way too much, according to John Key so he has categorically ruled it out. So those soldiers who got killed serving under our present flag are apparently not worth spending any money on. Yet he can justify spending $26 million on a flag referendum. Pretty outrageous. No doubt if it is revisited Crosby Textor will have some advice......for a price that is

[fungus pudding]

What will Winston do.? Winston , it could be argued, is a frustrated National Party leader who saw himself inheriting Rob Muldoons crown. He seems to have an intense dislike of John Key, but who knows what he would do if offered a chance to wield power again in 2017.

I do. ,

[craic]

Just got my Flag Referendum voting papers today.

At the same time I was reading an article on the governments refusal to repatriate the remains of New Zealand Servicemen killed during the Malaysian Emergency. You see the cost, between $170K-$250k is apparently way too much, according to John Key so he has categorically ruled it out. So those soldiers who got killed serving under our present flag are apparently not worth spending any money on. Yet he can justify spending $26 million on a flag referendum. Pretty outrageous. No doubt if it is revisited Crosby Textor will have some advice......for a price that is

And why would they do that? I have family members on Gallipoli, one in the sea near Imbros and one on the Somme. Where would they start and where would they finish? Much as you detest the Prime Minister, the decision is a practical one, made by people have no political motive.

[Sgt Pepper]

[QUOTE=craic;598578]And why would they do that? I have family members on Gallipoli, one in the sea near Imbros and one on the Somme. Where would they start and where would they finish? Much as you detest the Prime Minister, the decision is a practical one, made by people have no political motive.[/QUOTE

Craic
My great Uncle was killed at Callipoli, he was being carried off wounded when shot by a Turkish sniper. He is buried in a CWGC grave. The issue the brother of the SAS soldier killed in Malaysia has is that his brother was not buried in a protected CWGC grave consequently wants him returned home.
I don't " detest" the Prime Minister, I don't meekly accept that everything he says and does is correct and wonderful like you seem to do. I note the deafening silence on the $26 million.

[Daytr]

Key's National's reign of botch ups and illogical policy continues. Key's popularity obviously is independent of performance.
Has a prime minister under their watch had so many major policy failures.
Just in recent times we have had the debacle which is SERCO managing MT Eden and now Wiri has also been called into the review.
DOC is a mess after their restructure 18 months ago which is now having to be reversed, after ripping the heart out of the organization.
Key at the climate change summit allocates large amounts of funds to research our most polluting industry being dairy & mitigation to the our Pacific Island neighbours. How about stop funding fossil fuel exploration for big oil corporations. How about stopping the likes of Fonterra burning coal to power their dairy plants. How about supporting green energy production. How about restoring the budget for DOC or even increasing it.
Then overnight the government's own treasury reports that the Christchurch rebuild anchor projects have been given a red rating. From the report.

"Successful delivery of the project appears to be unachievable," the description said. A red rating implied there were "major issues" with project definition, budget and benefits.

But according to the government, their own treasury have got it wrong!

Then there is (its a long list!) the embarrassing police raid on journalist Heather du Plessis-Allan home. Its not the first time the arm of the law has been used in a intimidating way. Think Dotcom & Nicky Hager. Du Plessis-Allan was one of the most vocal & hard hitting journalists in regards the Sheepgate scandal (another to add to the list above) Is it purely coincidence? There is a pattern of behavior here. Du Plessis Allan's work on the loophole in obtaining a firearm in NZ was very good investigative journalism and the system has been changed due to what she uncovered. These precedents using the law at the whim of either the PM or his government is very dangerous ground indeed. Don't question the PM, don't report on their dubious behavior, don't challenge them, otherwise you might find yourself under investigation. Du Plessis Allan should be being lauded, not investigated.

[craic]

Haven't you worked it out yet Daytr? You have assessed an incredible list of conspiracies or conspiracy theories that exist in your mind - your reasoning. A huge part of the population, a majority in recent elections and polls, consider your views to be rubbish. The case against H DPA is being taken by the Police on the grounds that she committed a serious criminal offence under the firearms laws and the matter will go before a Court of Law where a Judge will decide the outcome. Journalists are not allowed to offend against the law to get a story. John Key is likely to finish upon election night with a much bigger smile on his face than you are. And, as I said before, I have money to put on it - if you are interested.

[Daytr]

Hi Craic, I would be interested to hear the conspiracies you refer. All of the above has happened, none of it is fiction.
As I said his popularity does not run with his own government's performance.
Imagine the uproar if Labour had more than trebled the government debt!

[craic]

The problem is Daytr that you don't understand debt. Countless people in NZ have a "Debt" that is as much as, or more than, five times their gross annual income. It's a house, and it's a good debt because it eventually changes to asset status, just like the one I am sitting in now. John Key has a proven record of understanding finance - He's probably a lot wealthier than most posters on this forum - and he understands debt. That is one of the reasons for his popularity and his success. And now that he has Judith Collins back beside him, the role of the opposition is bleaker than it has been for a while.

[Daytr]

Being an ex banker Craic, I think I understand debt very well. John Key does as well, but he doesn't care what he is doing to the NZ economy.
There are several flaws in your argument. Key has trebled debt, whilst selling assets, not buying assets funded by debt as you suggest.
He has sold 50% of the electricity generators a huge dividend payer to the government. He also sold these at bargain basement , as with everything with Key he had to do it in a rush, flooding the market in a short amount of time.

With Collins behind him due to the sacking of the inept Minister of Corrections, I think Key will be watching his back.
Et tu Brute?