If National wins ...

[Daytr]

Actually he got elected because people in the North had been neglected by National for over 40 years and they were fed up.
The Sabin resignation didn't help either of course.

[777]

In your dreams maybe. The next election will prove it one way or another. They were electing an MP, not a government, as in all by-elections. And he had popularity that no one else had.

An over statement to say it was " the greatest swing in NZs political history". The last change in government would beat that hands down simply because a swing against an incumbent government at a general election is more of an indicator than what shows up in any by-election.

[fungus pudding]

Actually he got elected because people in the North had been neglected by National for over 40 years and they were fed up.
The Sabin resignation didn't help either of course.

And more importantly - it was a by-election, and they seldom favour the sitting govt.

[Daytr]

No its not in my dreams, its in National's nightmares.
It was the biggest swing in a single seat in NZs political history! Fact!
Not bad for an old codger. ;-)
National completely disrespected the electorate and their campaign was a complete disaster.
As the votes reflect.

In your dreams maybe. The next election will prove it one way or another. They were electing an MP, not a government, as in all by-elections. And he had popularity that no one else had.

An over statement to say it was " the greatest swing in NZs political history". The last change in government would beat that hands down simply because a swing against an incumbent government at a general election is more of an indicator than what shows up in any by-election.

[janner]

Daytr
I was told many years ago that one Canadian Provincial government had a brutal but remarkably effective way to deal with tax evasion. If you knew/ or suspected any person was evading tax you reported this to the Canadian Inland Revenue. If tax evasion was subsequently discovered the person reporting reporting the evasion was PAID 10% of tax . Apparently there was very little tax evasion after this law was enacted

Could be applied into many areas..

Hence the STASI..

[craic]

Fifty/sixty years ago, young females who hung around with overseas seamen - and there were droves of them - could get five pounds for turning in a deserter - and there were hundreds of them too - to the police. The shipping companies paid the bounty. They got their money back when the jumper was repatriated as DBS (displaced British seaman) after his month in prison. He was usually found work on a ship and paid the DBS rate of one shilling per month. Sometimes the Ladies of the Wharf would entice a love-struck sailor to stay, and then report him. Often they would get a good kicking from their associates for this. I was reported and picked up but I had jumped in Sydney and stowed away to here. The police let me go as I had not offended under the NZ Shipping and Seamans act. The message is quite simply, a reward system will do as much harm as good. You will need an army of investigators to run around after nothing.

[elZorro]

That's an interesting background, Craic! It'll make most of us look pretty boring.

You were saying that the govt books are back in the black. Sort of. For the first 7 months they've taken in more then they spent, but they're still expecting a small deficit for the financial year. And because the govt has equity investments, they lost $3billion on those recently.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU160...y+7+March+2016

You have to ask the question, this far out from the GFC, a housing boom in progress, why are National still pleased to be just getting close to balancing the books? Which generation is going to pay for the govt's borrowing over the last seven years?

[craic]

elZorro, you should watch "Posh Pawn" on one of the channels to learn that even the most successful people and businesses borrow money as a growth strategy, it is a fundamental principle of economic management. It only becomes a problem when you get an outfit like Labour who use the resource to buy votes and favours. Most NZ families will borrow what amounts to several years salary to purchase a home. Some may also borrow to buy a car or a boat. Except that large group, mostly Labour supporters who will apply for a state house and then moan because it is not up to standard. I may have been an illegal immigrant, and many other things but I don't have a mortgage or any debt on my cars or boat and my children are all better off than I ever was. Oh! I forgot. I bought a chainsaw on tic last month, but that will be paid for this month from the several cords of wood I cut.

[elZorro]

elZorro, you should watch "Posh Pawn" on one of the channels to learn that even the most successful people and businesses borrow money as a growth strategy, it is a fundamental principle of economic management. It only becomes a problem when you get an outfit like Labour who use the resource to buy votes and favours. Most NZ families will borrow what amounts to several years salary to purchase a home. Some may also borrow to buy a car or a boat. Except that large group, mostly Labour supporters who will apply for a state house and then moan because it is not up to standard. I may have been an illegal immigrant, and many other things but I don't have a mortgage or any debt on my cars or boat and my children are all better off than I ever was. Oh! I forgot. I bought a chainsaw on tic last month, but that will be paid for this month from the several cords of wood I cut.

Yes, I've seen that program once or twice, but it's hardly a convincing argument, is it?

Based on your premise, National should keep borrowing forever, it will never be an issue, it's just good economic management. A bit like Xero I suppose. Except in the government's case, no-one is going to come along and buy them out, fixing everything. Instead, a big part of the tax we now pay, will go towards paying interest on previous borrowings. It won't be spent on anything useful. National hasn't grown the economy widely like Labour was doing, they've instead sold of some of our income-producing assets. So whereas you bought a chainsaw because you have a quick ROI, National would have sold half of the chainsaw to the neighbour, and run the risk of it being no good next time they want to use it.

[Major von Tempsky]

Sad, sad, sad. People who neither study economics nor reflect deeply enough.

When I studied economics a topic one week and in the textbooks was the fallacy that we are all doomed because of the National Debt and that it needs to be paid back. One immediate cogent point was to look at who owned the National Debt. It was mostly owned by Government Depts and Govt Trading Corporations and a large part by outfits investing to provide for pensions and retirements.

Occasionally in the economic cycle the Government or Reserve Bank may purchase National Debt to provide liquidity. The National Debt is recycled on terms and conditions by the Reserve Bank seeking to influence economic liquidity.

In any case I'm most surprised to see a Labour supporter criticizing the National Debt when it particularly balloons under Labour Governments seeking to finance extravagant promises!