Comments on: Great expectations

By: Zaphod Beeblebrox

Zaphod Beeblebrox — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:49:33 +0000

He said he will be commenting on WFF. I assume the pre-election promise to leave it unchanged is null and void. A bit like the Kiwisaver changes we got last budget.

By: Lanthanide

Lanthanide — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:38:09 +0000

Actually the tax working group has suggested tax rates should be cut across the board, but the media keeps repeating about the top rates being cut (probably because they make the biggest $ difference to the government, and to the people getting them).

National have repeatedly said they want to have tax rates of 10/20/30, which is probably what we’re going to see. The next question is what the thresholds will be.

By: Anne

Anne — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:33:22 +0000

Great expectations alright!
TV1 mid-day news mooted a hike in GST to 15%.
That will hit the low paid workers by far the hardest and you can be sure that whatever sweetener he throws at them to “compensate” will turn out to be stuff-all in practice.

By: tc

tc — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:21:09 +0000

You folk need to remember, and I often forget, that whilst Labour didn’t do much tax reform they didn’t have the numbers (Winston couldn’t be trusted) and by and large ran with just enough votes to run the country after Turiana tossed the toys over F&S.

No excuses for NACT……100% relentless focus on stuffing more dfosh in the top ends pockets.

By: SD

SD — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:01:27 +0000

Yes but there is a difference between announcing something and actually doing something. For example announcing rolling tax cuts then realising there isnt enough money for them. Or annoucing the public service won’t be cut then taking to it with a scalpel. Or annoucing a cycleway all the way from Cape Rienga to Bluff (what a pipe dream!) only to realise it’s not logically possible (Raurimu Cycleway Spiral anyone?). The list goes on….

At least Labour kept their word 95% of the time (I couldn’t say 100% as they did fail in their goal to be in the top half of the OECD). But I cannot think of any other example of Labour overpromising and underdelivering, unlike with this government for which it is rife!!!!!

By: Lanthanide

Lanthanide — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:45:49 +0000

“only average standard of living”

Clearly Colin is out of touch with reality if he sees the NZ standard of living as anything else than well above the global average.

The true global average standard of living is probably more like the average person in Mexico or Papua New Guinea enjoys.

By: ak

ak — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:42:08 +0000

How about running a book on the only certainty and sole plank in tory ideology – i.e. how much wealth will be transferred (by whatever woolly, obfuscating means) from the bottom half to the top 10%

$10 says at least another bill/yr. The fat cats have been patting their kitten for months now.

By: sweetd

sweetd — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:20:49 +0000

you’ll need a big broom for Horomia. He has been missing in action all last year.

By: vto

vto — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:20:42 +0000

My pick is that Key will be bold and announce major changes. The sorts of things that do-nothing Clark and scrooge McCullen, who did nothing but take the money and run, should have done.

They really were bloody useless and their place in history will rest at a point far below that which many posters on here, with their adoring spectacles, believe.

By: luva

luva — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:18:55 +0000

‘so as soon as the polls drop,’

I don’t think anyone other than those on the fringe left really expect that to happen until well into the 2nd term.

So Key should be safe until around 2014 maybe 2015. Labour should have a decent leader (at least double digit support) by then in the way of Andrew Little.

By: Lew

Lew — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:08:34 +0000

The party just reconfirmed him unopposed as leader the other week. The only way Phil Goff won’t be leader in six months is if there’s a medical or criminal reason.

By: Kiwipolitico » Blog Archive » The “I” thing

Kiwipolitico » Blog Archive » The “I” thing — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:05:36 +0000

[...] “I” thing Posted on 09:06, February 9th, 2010 by Lew As much as there are great expectations on John Key’s Speech to the Throne today, the pressure on Goff is only slightly less. He may [...]

By: outofbed

outofbed — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:40:28 +0000

By: tc

tc — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:39:53 +0000

Goff needs to sweep aside the dead wood that’s shown when given golden opportunities by their opposite failing ministers they still can’t land the punches as they either aren’t capable or don’t bother trying hard enough.
King on unemployment and mallard on education……FAIL

By: The Voice of Reason

The Voice of Reason — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:37:29 +0000

” and if not he should step aside ?”

Nope. He’s making good headway as I see it and there do not appear to be any other potential leaders immediately available. I think Goff and Labour will score some points today, but even if they don’t, this dimwitted, slothful government will afford them plenty more opportunities.

And keep watching Simon Power. His vanity won’t stand too much time on the sidelines, so as soon as the polls drop, expect him to stop talking about knife crime just long enough to stick one in Key’s back.