Great post today, Nick, Barbara Edmonds was on fire. I can listen to her without my blood pressure rising. However it's beyond belief that NZ First and Winston garner any support at all. He's always been a grifter and he hasn't changed. I detest him and Seymour equally. Meanwhile I'm very pleased to see that Dame Jacinda is still making waves in media around the world. I bet Luxon wishes he had the contacts she has!! It must make the haters apoplectic which is the best revenge 😀
Couldn't agree more about Chris Hipkins. At first, I didn't think he had it in him. How wrong I was. He is a voice of reason, solidarity and emotional strength. He runs rings around those three coalition leaders who come across as puerile, shallow and untrustworthy in comparison. I also agree about Barbara Edmonds who is showing she is more than a match for her counterpart, Nicola Willis.
Kieran McAnulty is a leader in waiting, no doubt about that, but he knows he's not ready for the job and anyway he genuinely doesn't want it. His time will come in due course.
In the meantime, all that happy trio, Hipkins, Edmonds and McAnulty need to do is carry on doing what they are doing, and the voters will hopefully see just what a superior bunch they are to the current crop of dinosaurs, upstarts and cookers.
The other person I have a lot of time for is Carmel Sepuloni. We dont hear so much from her right now but during cyclones etc she was there. Also Auckland and pacific. Great to have a range of strengths in a leadership team.
AlthoughI think it is too early for specific policies, I do think it would be useful to give some kind of vision with hope for a better future than we have now.
Totally agree. Should not have left Carmel Sepuloni out - another solid, dependable and intelligent politician. So good she is Pacifica too. So much for the racists who love to run down our Pacific community. I will never forget what they did to Efeso Collins. In my opinion it contributed to the heart attack which killed him.
Norman Kirk said: there are four things that matter to people: they have to have somewhere to live, they have to have food to eat, they have to have clothing to wear, and they have to have something to hope for." (Ref: George Andrews). I'd like to see that framed and hung in every politician's study. To make that happen, people need jobs. This government seems to think they can conjure up jobs by finger wagging and sanctions.
Sighhhh, my first ever vote for Labour was in 1975 after Big Norm died and we had Bill Rowling and a massive Labour defeat. Doubt that would have happened with Kirk at the helm 😔
David, America interfered in the Election through the Hanna Babera cartoons, showing the Labour Party as the same as Russian Cossacks. People were anti communism, and that swung the Election. Rowlings was a good but quiet man, no match for Muldoon.
The right have long played on people's irrational fears about an alternative society to capitalism that's for sure Patricia. I had a maternal uncle who belonged to the Communist Party in the 1930's. His youngest sibling my mum was nursing in Auckland then and had her locker searched by Police or secret squirrel's because of his association. A time of mass unemployment, unsafe working conditions, slumlords, poor pay, racial discrimination - gosh that all seems familiar!!
I had a similar experience to your Mum in the 1970s and 80s. My Dad went to Russia in the 70s to see for himself what was going on, and he joined the Russian Friendship Society in Auckland to learn the language before he went. Naughty boy! His daughter (me) - who had nothing to do with it - was harassed for years afterwards. Patricia's comment re-American interference went much further than the Hanna Babera cartoons. I leave you to join the dots.
Barbara said it well - our present economy is for the "rich and sorted" - which is exactly NOT for everyday Kiwi's! And who is to blame - us of course - we voted them into "power!" and that is what our Westminster system is all about - the power class, those with the money, the control, and those who want more!
Phil - could you please excuse me from the we. I didn't and never would vote for them. I'm old enough to see history repeating with these tories. Same, same, every time. A housing based low wage economy- straight out of the Double Diptons playbook.
This outcome was so predictable for the National Party because they have wrecked the country every time they have been in power. This time they have been aided and abetted by their corrupt and incompetent compatriots. No surprises but very sad for the country.
Hear, hear. I certainly didn’t vote for any of them, like you I’ve seen this rinse and repeat cycle way too many times. It’s astonishing how many people seem to think “it will be different this time”, it will never happen, folk need wake up and stop voting for these three parties, even when the leaders change the underlying beliefs and values remain the same.
I believe the reason for the drop was to get speculators borrowing money to buy houses - juice up the housing ponzi. How many people are on floating rate mortgages, or are close to refixing their fixed rate? These are the only other people who will benefit from the rate cut.
Exactly. Craig Renney made that point on BHN about falling mortgage rates only benefitting those refixing or taking out new loans. He also said a falling OCR can make people feel more positive and that some may spend more as a result. But he was clear that changes like an OCR cut generally take 12-18 months to flow through into the wider economy. So they are not a fire hose pumping money into the economy that National bullshits about.
Never a mention from Willis or Luxon about those retired, relying on interest for a bit of spare spending money.To some extent one cancels out the other in retail spending.
I agree about Chris H and also Kieran.. Today I've been irritated a bit by some (on the left, let alone the right) saying "where is Labour's policy" and why didn't Chippy say this or that. Politics is not a game or a soundbite. It is serious work, unless you are NZ First where Master Winston can say whatever comes off the top of his spiteful head. We have a detailed policy process which is member driven and hard argued. Labour doesn't just make shit up on the hoof. Come November, there will be some policy released, but not all ; Why give a free hit to the CoC? But also, Labour are right to wait til we see what a mess the CoC has left us in, because inevitably they will be asked how they plan to pay for it. Meanwhile, the are plenty of great people doing the day by day mahi. Today in extended sitting they've been debating the Committee Stages of the Response to the Abuse in Care Bill, with the horrid Eric Stanford and Karen Chhour in the chair. I saw great contributions from Labour & Green MPs. Then I watched the Education and Workforce Select Committee for a bit where the Westie kids from Waitakere College were presenting their petition against Seymour's cuts to school lunches. Go the Westies!
He would be the last person on earth I would trust he's not likely to be sitting around the fireplace singing kumbaiya but I'm hoping the pressure from around the world by ordinary citizens has finally made a difference plus when they bombed Qatar that was a major error.I have my fingers crossed for the Palestinians.
Another timely on-the-ball post, Nick...for the last few weeks I've too have finally been feeling like there IS a light at the end of this NACT1st 'give-the-fat-cat-landlords-a-another-huge-tax-cut' tunnel, and it has been lit in by the now well-seasoned Chris Hipkins.
Hipkins is doing a good job as leader of the opposition and hopefully will be PM in 2026. Wouldn't it be great though to have Chlöe as deputy PM in a left-leaning coalition ? That way she could hold his feet to the fire and encourage him to be bold. That's my biggest fear about Hipkins - that he won't be bold enough.
Great post today, Nick, Barbara Edmonds was on fire. I can listen to her without my blood pressure rising. However it's beyond belief that NZ First and Winston garner any support at all. He's always been a grifter and he hasn't changed. I detest him and Seymour equally. Meanwhile I'm very pleased to see that Dame Jacinda is still making waves in media around the world. I bet Luxon wishes he had the contacts she has!! It must make the haters apoplectic which is the best revenge 😀
Couldn't agree more about Chris Hipkins. At first, I didn't think he had it in him. How wrong I was. He is a voice of reason, solidarity and emotional strength. He runs rings around those three coalition leaders who come across as puerile, shallow and untrustworthy in comparison. I also agree about Barbara Edmonds who is showing she is more than a match for her counterpart, Nicola Willis.
Kieran McAnulty is a leader in waiting, no doubt about that, but he knows he's not ready for the job and anyway he genuinely doesn't want it. His time will come in due course.
In the meantime, all that happy trio, Hipkins, Edmonds and McAnulty need to do is carry on doing what they are doing, and the voters will hopefully see just what a superior bunch they are to the current crop of dinosaurs, upstarts and cookers.
The other person I have a lot of time for is Carmel Sepuloni. We dont hear so much from her right now but during cyclones etc she was there. Also Auckland and pacific. Great to have a range of strengths in a leadership team.
AlthoughI think it is too early for specific policies, I do think it would be useful to give some kind of vision with hope for a better future than we have now.
Totally agree. Should not have left Carmel Sepuloni out - another solid, dependable and intelligent politician. So good she is Pacifica too. So much for the racists who love to run down our Pacific community. I will never forget what they did to Efeso Collins. In my opinion it contributed to the heart attack which killed him.
Norman Kirk said: there are four things that matter to people: they have to have somewhere to live, they have to have food to eat, they have to have clothing to wear, and they have to have something to hope for." (Ref: George Andrews). I'd like to see that framed and hung in every politician's study. To make that happen, people need jobs. This government seems to think they can conjure up jobs by finger wagging and sanctions.
Sighhhh, my first ever vote for Labour was in 1975 after Big Norm died and we had Bill Rowling and a massive Labour defeat. Doubt that would have happened with Kirk at the helm 😔
David, America interfered in the Election through the Hanna Babera cartoons, showing the Labour Party as the same as Russian Cossacks. People were anti communism, and that swung the Election. Rowlings was a good but quiet man, no match for Muldoon.
The right have long played on people's irrational fears about an alternative society to capitalism that's for sure Patricia. I had a maternal uncle who belonged to the Communist Party in the 1930's. His youngest sibling my mum was nursing in Auckland then and had her locker searched by Police or secret squirrel's because of his association. A time of mass unemployment, unsafe working conditions, slumlords, poor pay, racial discrimination - gosh that all seems familiar!!
I had a similar experience to your Mum in the 1970s and 80s. My Dad went to Russia in the 70s to see for himself what was going on, and he joined the Russian Friendship Society in Auckland to learn the language before he went. Naughty boy! His daughter (me) - who had nothing to do with it - was harassed for years afterwards. Patricia's comment re-American interference went much further than the Hanna Babera cartoons. I leave you to join the dots.
Barbara said it well - our present economy is for the "rich and sorted" - which is exactly NOT for everyday Kiwi's! And who is to blame - us of course - we voted them into "power!" and that is what our Westminster system is all about - the power class, those with the money, the control, and those who want more!
Phil - could you please excuse me from the we. I didn't and never would vote for them. I'm old enough to see history repeating with these tories. Same, same, every time. A housing based low wage economy- straight out of the Double Diptons playbook.
This outcome was so predictable for the National Party because they have wrecked the country every time they have been in power. This time they have been aided and abetted by their corrupt and incompetent compatriots. No surprises but very sad for the country.
Nailed it Mac. Very sad for our country. Cheers.
Hear, hear. I certainly didn’t vote for any of them, like you I’ve seen this rinse and repeat cycle way too many times. It’s astonishing how many people seem to think “it will be different this time”, it will never happen, folk need wake up and stop voting for these three parties, even when the leaders change the underlying beliefs and values remain the same.
I believe the reason for the drop was to get speculators borrowing money to buy houses - juice up the housing ponzi. How many people are on floating rate mortgages, or are close to refixing their fixed rate? These are the only other people who will benefit from the rate cut.
Those who really don't benefit are those on fixed incomes without mortgages who will get very low interest rates on any savings eg some retirees
I know - my small savings will be hit.
me too
Yep, a retiree here with savings! So much for the saying save for your retirement!
That's true
Exactly. Craig Renney made that point on BHN about falling mortgage rates only benefitting those refixing or taking out new loans. He also said a falling OCR can make people feel more positive and that some may spend more as a result. But he was clear that changes like an OCR cut generally take 12-18 months to flow through into the wider economy. So they are not a fire hose pumping money into the economy that National bullshits about.
Totally 💯
luxon and Co. truly demonstrate that you can roll a turd in glitter, but it's still just a turd.
That’s how Luxo rolls!! Minus the glitter…
Yeah, Jeremy, just like a cheap roll-on deodorant stick...
Perhaps Luxo is actually a preodorant stick? Everything he says or does smells like a rat.
Barbara is terrific.
Never a mention from Willis or Luxon about those retired, relying on interest for a bit of spare spending money.To some extent one cancels out the other in retail spending.
I agree about Chris H and also Kieran.. Today I've been irritated a bit by some (on the left, let alone the right) saying "where is Labour's policy" and why didn't Chippy say this or that. Politics is not a game or a soundbite. It is serious work, unless you are NZ First where Master Winston can say whatever comes off the top of his spiteful head. We have a detailed policy process which is member driven and hard argued. Labour doesn't just make shit up on the hoof. Come November, there will be some policy released, but not all ; Why give a free hit to the CoC? But also, Labour are right to wait til we see what a mess the CoC has left us in, because inevitably they will be asked how they plan to pay for it. Meanwhile, the are plenty of great people doing the day by day mahi. Today in extended sitting they've been debating the Committee Stages of the Response to the Abuse in Care Bill, with the horrid Eric Stanford and Karen Chhour in the chair. I saw great contributions from Labour & Green MPs. Then I watched the Education and Workforce Select Committee for a bit where the Westie kids from Waitakere College were presenting their petition against Seymour's cuts to school lunches. Go the Westies!
A ceasefire has been agreed on OMG I hope it's successful.
Never trust Netanyahu: he has too much to lose if the war ends.
He would be the last person on earth I would trust he's not likely to be sitting around the fireplace singing kumbaiya but I'm hoping the pressure from around the world by ordinary citizens has finally made a difference plus when they bombed Qatar that was a major error.I have my fingers crossed for the Palestinians.
Chloë was also on fire.
Another timely on-the-ball post, Nick...for the last few weeks I've too have finally been feeling like there IS a light at the end of this NACT1st 'give-the-fat-cat-landlords-a-another-huge-tax-cut' tunnel, and it has been lit in by the now well-seasoned Chris Hipkins.
Hipkins is doing a good job as leader of the opposition and hopefully will be PM in 2026. Wouldn't it be great though to have Chlöe as deputy PM in a left-leaning coalition ? That way she could hold his feet to the fire and encourage him to be bold. That's my biggest fear about Hipkins - that he won't be bold enough.
Me too, let's put social justice, care and inclusion back on the agenda and leave the trumpism to America.
Thanks Nick.
Just what the doctor ordered.
Desperation, poor policy decisions, doubling down. We are over it.