If National wins ...

[BlackPeter]

...

There are other uses for land on the scale used for dairying. Goat farming/milking for one. Horticulture, cropping. But my most scathing retort on this government is reserved for the other new businesses they have not helped as well as they should for seven years - the small manufacturers, the niche market people, the growing exporters.

The big guys have been looked after with grants. They've automated, reduced staff counts, then built themselves massive mansions with the profits and leftovers. This occurred because they have lobbyists, and/or they are funders of the National Party machine.

SMEs would take grants and use them carefully, and they'd immediately employ more people, because they are at the growing part of their cycle.

Agree that diversification would be a good thing - for the environment as well as to mitigate the economical risk.

Agree as well that the grant system (old boyz picking "winners") does not work. However - not sure, whether I have seen so far any evidence that SME's would do better when pampered with tax payer money as you seem to imply. Plenty examples for small enterprises nurtured by taxpayer grants and than just sold out overseas.

What we need is a level playing field for everybody in a low tax environment. No grants but lower taxes. We don't need inefficient bureaucrats wasting tax payer money to run lolly scrambles (no matter who is targeted). If everybody pays low taxes, there is no need for an expensive and inefficient wealth redistribution system (aka lolly lottery ...).

[elZorro]

Just to be clear, I'm talking about 50% grants for some R&D, or a lot less as a tax break, but distributed primarily to SMEs, and not just big business. This is not a bailout as Craic implies, it's an incentive for smart business practices. These incentives are there right now, but the hurdle for them at MBIE is set ridiculously high, a National Party tactic.

[fungus pudding]

Merger? ... not so sure. Maybe Little is just looking for a new challenge? I hear Winston won't be around for ever, maybe Little just wants to demonstrate his interest and qualifications in running the populist party, given the doubts about him staying around as Labour leader? Just remember: Shearer got fired for bad poll ratings ... and this was when Labour polled in the mid 30'ies .

To replace Little right now would be disastrous, but so is leaving him there. It must have the party dizzy from running around in circles over what to do. Goff, Shearer, Cunliffe, Little -a 5th would look bad, but they have not really got aa choice. To leave Little there means certain defeat, so they might as well take a deep breath and at least have a go with a new leader. Unless they're planning to lose the 2017 election and then put Stuart Nash in the hot seat. He's probably the next to have a turn.

[Sgt Pepper]

To replace Little right now would be disastrous, but so is leaving him there. It must have the party dizzy from running around in circles over what to do. Goff, Shearer, Cunliffe, Little -a 5th would look bad, but they have not really got aa choice. To leave Little there means certain defeat, so they might as well take a deep breath and at least have a go with a new leader. Unless they're planning to lose the 2017 election and then put Stuart Nash in the hot seat. He's probably the next to have a turn.

I would suggest that this National government has some very rough weather that the good ship John Key is about to sail into. Having 20% of dairy farmers walking away is one thing, 8% interest rates hammering the married and over mortgaged in Auckland is quite another. John Key? I give him two years ..tops

[fungus pudding]

I would suggest that this National government has some very rough weather that the good ship John Key is about to sail into. Having 20% of dairy farmers walking away is one thing, 8% interest rates hammering the married and over mortgaged in Auckland is quite another. John Key? I give him two years ..tops

True that it's almost an unwritten law that 3 terms is the maximum for a government. Holyoake was the exception. This time could break the mould though given MMP and the popularity of Key and National well into their third term. Labour has failed to appoint an electable leader so far, and so is unlikely to pull in enough votes to form a 2 party coalition. The Greens are their only real potential partner but their relative strength would play havoc with any pre-election policies Labour announce. Winston first would be most unlikely to join a coalition with the Greens in it unless of course he was appointed Prime Minister. Things don't look bright for Labour at all. Whatever you give Key - he will certainly survive longer than Little.

[Daytr]

Nationals key seats are in the provinces. Labour / Greens are in mostly Auckland & Wellington.
With farmers walking off farms, there could be a massive swing away from National.
National openly encouraged intensification and as late as last year Key & others were saying there was room for more dairy!
Landcorp has seen many dairy conversions.
It's now not only going to cause an economic crisis in NZs largest export sector it's causing all sorts or environmental issues as well in regards river health and irrigation. Another thing National want more of!
This government has no respect for the environment they just want to see how best they can exploit it.

[Daytr]

They need to replace him now, short & simple.
His attempt to engage people on immigration was weak at best.
Its an easy target and he blew it & was straight away on the defensive.
So I disagree it would be a disaster to ditch him, as the ratings can hardly get much worse for a leader of a major party as preferred PM etc.

To replace Little right now would be disastrous, but so is leaving him there. It must have the party dizzy from running around in circles over what to do. Goff, Shearer, Cunliffe, Little -a 5th would look bad, but they have not really got aa choice. To leave Little there means certain defeat, so they might as well take a deep breath and at least have a go with a new leader. Unless they're planning to lose the 2017 election and then put Stuart Nash in the hot seat. He's probably the next to have a turn.

[elZorro]

They need to replace him now, short & simple.
His attempt to engage people on immigration was weak at best.
Its an easy target and he blew it & was straight away on the defensive.
So I disagree it would be a disaster to ditch him, as the ratings can hardly get much worse for a leader of a major party as preferred PM etc.

Daytr, mate, you need to filter out the RW press a bit. They obviously made up most of that Chinese chef story, by clipping words out here and there. Here's the good oil.

http://www.labour.org.nz/andrew_little_responds

[fungus pudding]

Daytr, mate, you need to filter out the RW press a bit. They obviously made up most of that Chinese chef story, by clipping words out here and there. Here's the good oil.

http://www.labour.org.nz/andrew_little_responds

Tell me, who was the voice on zb newstalk zb making various comments and then denying he made them? Brilliant imposter - even allowed himself to be introduced as Andrew Little. Had Hosking fooled and even Barry Soper and Larry Williams when they replayed it.
Even fooled me - I could have sworn it was Little - putting his foot right in it.

[elZorro]

Tell me, who was the voice on zb newstalk zb making various comments and then denying he made them? Brilliant imposter - even allowed himself to be introduced as Andrew Little. Had Hosking fooled and even Barry Soper and Larry Williams when they replayed it.
Even fooled me - I could have sworn it was Little - putting his foot right in it.

I pinched these words. Good ones.

The thought that the Key Government is going to collapse under the weight of its own bull**** is driving Key and his acolytes to personal attacks on a man on whom they can find no dirt. It’s driving them nuts that he is succeeding where Goff, Shearer and Cunliffe could not.