Labour plans to win

Written By: - Date published: 1:11 pm, July 4th, 2014 - 122 comments
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It’s true, Labour does have a plan to win this election. And the plan’s a good one. Campaign Manager David Talbot and Polity’s Rob Salmond presented it to members and media this morning at the Loaves and Fishes in Wellington, so it is out in the open. And it doesn’t depend on miracles.

Labour’s advantage has always been it’s base of activists around the country. That worked for us the last time  Labour won in 2005, an election in which David Talbot also played a key role. This year Labour is running the largest grassroots campaign in the Party’s history, having already had over 185,000 face to face, person to person contacts with voters.

Between now and election day Labour’s activists will have hundreds of thousands of personal contacts with voters about issues of significance to them. The aim is to supersize the Christchurch East campaign, where Poto Williams and Labour promised to stand up for Christchurch East by building 10,000 new homes, kick starting New Brighton and providing security with Kiwiassure.

Labour’s activists will be having conversations about Labour’s positive  message of jobs, homes and families in ways that are locally relevant all around the country. I think it will be a game-changer.

It’s going to be an interesting Congress this weekend where we will hear more about it – I’m looking forward to it.

122 comments on “Labour plans to win ”

  1. Tiger Mountain 1

    Good luck and best wishes to new and reinvigorated Labour campaigners.

    It is pertinent to say though tactics are rarely a substitute for strategy. The strategy to deny Key and the torys a third term imo must involve contributing to a combined left bloc lift and highly savvy use of MMP. An all out two ticks Labour or nothing in every scenario is unlikely to succeed in this.

    • Ben 1.1

      well said, a grand coalition on the Left, instead of dividing the vote

    • Enough is Enough 1.2

      I agree. Lets play to the rules and do whatever it takes.

      The sole objective of this election must be to remove Key from power. The means by which that is achieved is irrelevant.

      If throwing away a couple of electorate seats is the cost of turfing Key out of Wellington, then so be it.

      We can be as sanctimonious as we like about tactical voting. But how good will that make us feel if we don’t take advantage of the system and allow the Nats to march back into the beehive.

      Time to stop pissing around and whinging about Key and Epsom. Give Hone his seat, and let the whole left block know that a vote for Mana will not be a wasted vote.

  2. Tracey 2

    Mickey, my memory is clark spent a year out talking to people before the 1999 election. I hope Labour and Greens have enough volunteers to meet enough people because bypassing msm, or not relying on msm, is the only way to get your message to the electorate.

    Best of luck to Labour.

  3. aerobubble 3

    Green party vote.

    Take the Maori MPs, they push parliament to 121, and the time before that to 122. How was that?

    Well if Labour wised up to the German political scene it would realize that separating the list and constituency parties means more hangover seats.

    Should a significant number of Labour voters split their ticket Green on the list, they’d win government. Imagine that, even if they lose a few Labour voters who are aghast at the idea
    and not willing to vote because of it.

    Why did the Greens get so many MPs and Labour come within 10,000 of winning with Goff?

    A country evenly spit, left right means its ripe for the taking with a flood overhang MPs.

    Of course, Labour would get none of its list MPs up, and sure arguably the Greens may become the larger force.

    so a win for the left without Labour in the high chair is not worth it

    • mikesh 3.1

      In the interests of maintaining proportionality within parliament overhangs should be eliminated. In the sort of scenario you suggest there would be a lot of pressure to change rules so that overhangs would be no longer possible.

      • aerobubble 3.1.1

        Please comment on how much more difficult it is to win a constituency seat over gaining an extra list MP. Since the Maori seat inevitably mean overhang seats and rightly reflect the proportional poorer outcomes for Maori in NZ.

        As for removing all possibility of overhangs and kill constituency seats as unique part of the process. I assume that the whole point of both (as in German) is to remove the upper house. I therefore believe if we have a proportional house, we would need a second chamber. Personally the lower house would be the constituent elected, and the upper ‘reform’ chamber would be proportional.

        Australia’s system sucks.

  4. lprent 4

    I hope they’ll let the media (ie including me) into the detail at congress. I wonder what the situation is with a party member who is also media. Go in and don’t report? On the other hand I find those times when we media are excluded as being pretty productive for catching up with people and getting the gossip about what is happening.

    I’m not particularly campaigning this year. I have more then enough on my plate trying to balance family, work, and this site as it is.

  5. hoom 5

    I thought McCarten was campaign manager?

  6. dimebag russell 6

    Labour will win a resounding victory.
    Thats the easy bit.
    Government is going to be very demanding both fiscally and socially and there are big changes in the world coming up.
    Only Labour is capable of coping with these vicissitudes.

    • Tom Jackson 6.1

      I don’t think that’s going to happen. I predict that Labour will run a decent campaign, and have by far the best set of policies for the country, but that won’t matter, because they’ll be swimming against a tide of relentless negativity and sniping from most media outlets, who will make sure that the status quo endures, and there are too many voters in the centre who will vote against their own interests.

      Perhaps when Labour tacks right again, they will be permitted a term in government. Until then the bozos will have their way.

      Only Labour is capable of coping with these vicissitudes.

      True, which is why it’s probably a good idea to start insulating yourself against them, since you won’t be able to trust the National government to help you.

      • Bearded Git 6.1.1

        Agreed it’s a problem Tom. You only have to read Bryce Edwards in the Herald today who always sees Labour as a glass half empty. No political balance attempted.

        I still think 31+11+7=49=Cunliffe is perfectly achievable/will happen. The Nats will drop to 43%-already gone from 52.5% to 48% on Roy Morgan despite all the negative stuff in the MSM.

        • Tom Jackson 6.1.1.1

          I’m starting to think Labour will get about 25%. Certainly, the Labour caucus shows no signs of wanting to get any more than that, given today’s risible performance from the leader.

          • Bearded Git 6.1.1.1.1

            How do you mean-a speech described those present as “inspiring” on violence against women? Don’t believe the MSM.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1.1.1.2

            “rape culture” is an airy fairy piece of unempirical 70s nonsense…

            Tom, I’m responding to this here because the other thread is a bit of a muddle by now.

            What definition would you give to the phenomena of victim-blaming, trivialisation,
            evidence denial, ‘boys will be boys’, McCully’s apology priorities, Rickards, Parker and Hales?

            How much of that is unempirical seventies nonsense? Pfft.

    • Matt 6.2

      The only way Labour will be resting their bums on the treasury benches in the next 20 years, is by returning to their roots as the party of the working man.

      Dump the Redfems and their LBGT accolytes into their own party and see how much popular support they really have.

  7. Sacha 7

    If you have many people campaigning on the ground, they need even clearer and well thought-out messages about what the party offers. Given that’s been a failure of Labour for half a decade, I’m not holding my breath.

  8. dimebag russell 8

    flee you doubters and myrmidons of sauron.
    The Nazgul will be defeated by their own evil.

  9. were the words ‘fighting poverty’ used..?

    ..or any variations on this..?

    • interesting seeing as i have been repeatedly accused of running a ‘smear-campaign’ ..

      ..against what i see as a do-nothing-labour and their over-eager handmaidens..no-bottom-lines!-greens..

      ..edwards-the-younger has done a round up of those ‘smearing’ labour exactly the/this same way..

      ..and it is quite the list…

      ..with most of them saying similar ‘smears’ to me..

      ..are we all part of some vast rightwing conspiracy..?

      ..d’yareckon..?

      ..or have labour gone from the deep-red of cunnliffes’ ascension ..

      ..to the lite-blue of now..

      ..as fast as ‘we’ all reckon..?

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11287715

      • phillip ure 9.1.1

        no wonder parker is grinning ear from ear..

        ..his rightwing economic-agenda is locked in..

        ..and the pathetic nature of labours’ tax-rise..

        ..comes into clear-focus when you realise..

        ..that it kicks in at $150,000..

        ..and someone on $160,000 per yr..

        ..will face the onerous burden of an extra $6 per wk in tax..

        ..that’s a real inequality game-changer right there…eh..?

        ..it ya didn’t laff..you’d weep…

        ..’plans’..?..what fucken ‘plans’..?

  10. Colonial Viper 10

    Record low turn out in 2011. Nothing to come out and vote for. What about now?

    • i wouldn’t be surprised if the labour vote collapsed more..

      ..but it won’t go to national/the right..

      ..so overall it won’t really matter..the left-bloc will stay the same..

      ..the greens in labour will go to the greens..(much as they don’t really deserve them.)

      ..and many of those who enthused at cunnliffes’ brief ‘the workers’ flag is deepest red!’-moment..

      ..and are now dismayed at the lite-blue..

      ..as the campaign unfolds..i see many of them turning to internet/mana..

      ..both knowing their votes will not be wasted…

      ..and that with the likes of harre/harawira/sykes/minto etc..

      ..they will see some real action on causes near and dear to them..

      ..and will get a voice there..

      ..internet/mana doing what they see as what labour should be doing..

      ..i see many of these labour supporters still giving their electorate vote to labour..

      ..but being much more wavering/uncertain able-too-be-wooed over their party-votes..

      ..and that we are in that place..

      ..is all labours’ doing..

  11. Steve Wrathall 11

    “I think it will be a game-changer.”
    Again?

  12. Colonial Viper 12

    Rob Salmond and David Talbot. OK. Well fellas. What are the chances Labour will cross above 32% on Election Day with this plan of yours.

  13. Anthony B'stard 13

    I think it will be a close election, not because of the strength of Labour, but because of the glut of parties on the left and their tens of billions of dollars of election promises.

    The only game-changing that is going to happen is Labour polling at a record low, if they don’t have anything else up their sleeves as this article claims. Cunliffe’s patronising speech today apologising for being a man, has likely turned thousands more away from wanting to vote Labour.

    • Lanthanide 13.1

      “their tens of billions of dollars of election promises.”

      Tens of billions? That would be National’s Roads of Notional Significance, not policies from the left.

      “Cunliffe’s patronising speech today apologising for being a man, has likely turned thousands more away from wanting to vote Labour.”

      And yet many women see it as a step forward to recognising what most men in society seem oblivious to. Go figure.

    • poem 13.2

      Anthony, The media took what Cunliffe said out of context, would have thought people could see through that.
      Cunliffe was not apologising for being a man, he was apologizing for the very fact that it is predominantly men who abuse women and children, and that he as a man, is ashamed of that fact, and this abuse should be stopped. Whats wrong in that?

  14. fisiani 14

    women do not trust The Cunliffe. they can see his insincerity and his weak jaw. He has now insulted 90% of men by apologizing for being a man. He will have this crass comment rubbed in his nose. Women find this comment insincere and condescending. The millionaire from Herne Bay cannot credibly wear sack cloth and ashes even if he still claims to be the Messiah.

    • Ant 14.1

      It’s only an insult to insecure men.

    • ffloyd 14.2

      Umm no they don’t.

    • poem 14.3

      Rubbish fisiani, and repeating john key doesn’t make it any more truer either. And didn’t Don Brash use that same line in his 2005 campaign against Helen Clark??? Standard Crosby Textor.

  15. Richard@Down South 15

    Today’s moves by Cunliffe probably cost Labour a few votes

    • Ant 15.1

      Nah the yobbos who are offended would never vote for Labour anyway.

      • phillip ure 15.1.1

        he gilded the lily of the increased funding..

        ..and that gilding wasn’t needed…

        ..the policy is strong enough in its’ own right..

        ..as being seen to be doing something meaningful..

        ..and it has been over-shadowed/out-dazzled by that gilding…

        ..once again..strategy..strategy..

        ..why is it so absent..?

        ..firm words promising a focus on the 80% victims of domestic assault..who don’t report being bashed..

        ..backed by that significant funding-commitment ..

        ..that was enough…

      • poem 15.1.2

        True Ant !!

  16. fisiani 16

    Team Red planning for 30% Team Blue planning for 50% National has ten times as many activist members as labour

    • RedBaronCV 16.1

      Nact still counting the family dog?

      • McFlock 16.1.1

        nah, fizzy’s just counting as “activists” everyone who said they’d vote national just so he’d get out of the damned taxi. And all their relatives, and the dog.

      • Hanswurst 16.1.2

        No, just walking it.

    • Appleboy 16.2

      Dream on piseearnie…gap closes to labour 32/33, greens 12-14..National drops to 47…then we’ll see what happens and who is shitting themselves

      Don’t forget Kim Dot Com in court next month and you can bet he will reveal the Snowden leaks that a million dollar reward has secured ..that lovely info that has been waiting for their beautiful day of reckoning to show Key is a total liar…whoops National drops a few more %…I will look out for your banal banter then.

  17. fisiani 17

    When tricky Dave tries to win votes by attempting to be ashamed to be a man he is just a sanctimonious weakling. His hubris will lead to disaster. volunteers who door knock will encounter rejection and loathing. I once thought it could be close but with weekly own goals like logging , moas, and now false shame it could be a rout.

  18. fisiani 18

    cunners can give a speech to the activists or to the nation. If he preaches to the activists he will be pilloried but if tries to charm the nation he will be scorned and lose activists to the Greens. They will realise that a vote for the Greens is a vote for the left so why campaign for Labour.

  19. dimebag russell 19

    shut the F*ck up.
    national are a gang of deluded right wing ideologues with fantasies of omnipotence and beleif in stupid sayings and adages and other stupid nonsenses.
    all they are good for is running their spread sheets over everything and see how much fat they can carve off for themselves while they are taking time off from looting the treasury.
    they have had their turn.

    [Light and peace dimebag. Humour and direct responses work best – MS]

    • dimebag russell 19.1

      okay.
      I’ll have a cup of milo and wake up tomorrrow and have twenty five and half weatbix.

  20. fisiani 20

    Labour 25 and Greens 15 equals 40% Labour 23andGreens 17 is still 40. Seriously why campaign for Labour. ?

    • McFlock 20.1

      Well, a bonus would be to imagine the look on your toryboy gob come september 21.
      I hope the nats didn’t cut lifeline funding, too…

    • Bearded Git 20.2

      Nats have dropped 4.5% in a month on Roy Morgan. Watch this space.

  21. Lanthanide 21

    Fizzy is in hard-out astroturf mode tonight.

  22. Mike the Savage One 22

    “Labour’s advantage has always been it’s base of activists around the country. That worked for us the last time Labour won in 2005, an election in which David Talbot also played a key role. This year Labour is running the largest grassroots campaign in the Party’s history, having already had over 185,000 face to face, person to person contacts with voters.”

    Although I want to wish Labour well, I think you are bloody “dreaming”. It does not matter whether you have thousands of activists out there, if people do NOT trust you, do not trust the messages, and do not think you have a chance, they will close the bloody door in front of your activists’ faces. AND you will be bloody dreaming, to think that Christchurch alone may decide the election.

    Labour have failed to get messages across, for some time, and the media is not helping, as it is rather anti Labour. So that leaves social media, but that is never a guaranteed success, as you can only reach ones you have contact details about, and they will only take you seriously, if the messages (already mainly communicated by anti Labour MSM messages) match the ones you send out to them, or can contradict them and convince voters.

    A late campaign is not going to succeed much, as most non voters may be too biased against Labour, they will not be convinced by Labour activists suddenly turning up, thinking, hey, here we go again, they want our vote now, but never gave a “shit” about us before. Especially working poor and beneficiaries may lack trust in Labour.

    No, more is needed, and I fear you have failed to get your campaign together in time. Today the MSM hammered Cunliffe for saying, he felt sorry to be a man, when talking to a forum of sexual abuse victims and advocates. That is fair enough, and honest by him, but too many in the still rather chauvinistic mindset out there, they will view him as a politically over correct “whimp” now, a friend of activists and feminists, but not one of them. Most people are not victims of such violence, and while it is honourable of David to make his point, few will relate to what he said.

    I think this election is nw gone and lost, given the hopeless performance by Labour. You have to convince and send out messages well in advance of an election, to be taken seriously, but that has AGAIN not happened, and where it did, it has failed.

    I also blame the rotten media in this country, for having done all to pre-determine this election, as they did the last two ones. This is a sad situation, and it is time to make a bold change, also taking on the media, certainly a much bolder change than Labour have dared so far. I wish to be proved wrong, so there, dear Labour members and MPs and candidates, same as David Cunliffe, lies your challenge to prove me WRONG!

    Best of luck, as all others, Greens, Mana, possibly NZ First, depend on you making it.

  23. fisiani 23

    Very prescient Mike. you raise an interesting point. if NZF do not make 5 % then John Key wins. If NZF get over 5 % then Winston chooses who wins. He could annoint the Messiah. Do you trust him enough to give your party vote to NZF? 25 + 15 +8 + 3 IS 51

    • Mike the Savage One 23.1

      Fisiani – Winston HATES John Key, there will be NO deal with National, unless the left of centre will look too much of an eccentric deal! Despite of all speculation and rhetoric, Winston will go with Labour and Greens, but demand a high price from the Greens to compromise on some core policies.

      I bet the Greens will go with that, ensuring core points for them, and that will be the alternative, that you may fear. Actually, on some important policies, NZ First, Labour and Greens are sharing a lot, but of course, there are also major differences. Winston will not want to go down in history, to serve one John Key for a third term, make no doubt about that.

      • Hanswurst 23.1.1

        I think you are underestimating Mr. Peters’ ability to do whatever the fuck he likes when the mood takes him. He may well hate Key, but I don’t think that would stop him doing a deal with him.

        • Mike the Savage One 23.1.1.1

          If he does, poison will be all over the “deal”, like it was in earlier ones, and it will be the last “poison bite” that we finally need to get Key into his political grave. So if Winston dares to go there, the will take John Key with him, into an early grave. That will be the most “patriotic” deed that Winston will have accomplished in his whole lifetime, I dare to say!

          • Hanswurst 23.1.1.1.1

            If that were the case, Peters would have been political dead meat long ago.

            • Mike the Savage One 23.1.1.1.1.1

              He will not be, he has many antioxidants, and he can resist many poisons, and strangely even survives extreme developments, he is a survivor, love him or hate him, do not write the man off, we may dislike him, or some he says, he will hit back, until he drops into the box.

          • Camryn 23.1.1.1.2

            Winston will poison whoever he goes with… woe betide any “bloc” that needs Winston to form a government! I reckon JK has stuffed up by not maintaining his hard line… the message “I’d swallow rat poison to stay PM” isn’t a good one.

            • phillip ure 23.1.1.1.2.1

              key has standards (see what i did there?)..?

              ..in coalition partners..?

              ..yeah..nah..eh..?

              ..colon craig..?

              ..peters looks like his wartime-namesake..

              ..compared to that moon-landing-denying clown/nutbar…

              ..whoar..!

              ..craig insisting on being made minister of foreign affairs..

              ..in exchange for his support..?

              (you can hear him whining:..’but you gave it to winston’..)

              ..whoar..!..spooky..!.

              ..and key needs to/is yet to be asked just what role he cd see colon craig in..

              ..in a third-term national government..

              ..once again..whoar..!..spooky..!

      • Beryl Streep 23.1.2

        Mike the Savage One @ 4 July 2014 at 9:50 pm…

        Winston HATES John Key, there will be NO deal with National, unless the left of centre will look too much of an eccentric deal! Despite of all speculation and rhetoric, Winston will go with Labour and Greens, but demand a high price from the Greens to compromise on some core policies.

        Are you new to NZ politics? Winston will always do what’s best for Winston. Given the choice he will opt for second fiddle in a National government over third fiddle in a Labour and Greens government.

        Just a heads-up as you seem to be placing too much trust in Winston to get the left over the line.

        • xtasy 23.1.2.1

          Beryl, maybe
          ‘always” or “usually” may not apply this election which will be different, to be honest, Mike may be right there..

      • poem 23.1.3

        +100 Mike !! No way will Winston ever support john key.

    • aerobubble 23.2

      If National voters realize Labour will win, then they are likely to want to give Labour a larger vote and keep Winston’s influence down. But while media continue the practice of using name recognition of the loyal constructive kiwis for the PM as a indicator of said individual in the job standing….

      Do you recognize the PM and support the role of PM?

  24. fisiani 24

    25 15 4 and 3 is just 43%

    • Mike the Savage One 24.1

      ???

    • Hanswurst 24.2

      25 15 4 and 3 is just 43%

      No, it’s 47, which is 4700% where I went to primary school.

      • Mike the Savage One 24.2.1

        47 percent, if you had gone to the right school, I presume.

        • Hanswurst 24.2.1.1

          No, 47 per cent is 47/100. 47 on its own is 4700/100. If Faeces wants to be a pedant, s[he should at least be a good one.

          • Mike the Savage One 24.2.1.1.1

            Don’t get you, are you the brother of Conchita by the way?

            • Hanswurst 24.2.1.1.1.1

              Don’t get you

              25%, 15%, 4% and 3% make up 47%. 25, 15, 4 and 3 just make 47. They don’t say 47 what, and assuming that 1 of whatever it is represents a whole unit (i. e. 100%), then 47 of them would be 4700%.

              are you the brother of Conchita by the way?

              Sister, actually.

              • Mike the Savage One

                I thought so, enjoy. At least we reached 47 PER CENT! Thank you! Good luck.

  25. fisiani 25

    my arithmetic is correct 25 15 4 3 is only 43 because 4% is discarded Idiots!

    • Mike the Savage One 25.1

      My calculation is National 47 percent, less discarded IDIOTS, leaves 37 to 40 percent!

    • Mike the Savage One 25.2

      My personal guess is, this time small parties will win big, and it will be NZ First, but sadly also the Conservatives, and surely also Internet Party. So many are totally disillusioned with the larger, traditional parties, they will feel the brunt of dissatisfaction this time, to a degree never seen before in NZ political history!

      • aerobubble 25.2.1

        If Mana wins two Maori seats and doesn’t get a high enough voter turnout, they may not help the Internet party get it. In fact should Mana win more than two Maori seats, Mana would effectvely not be able to give Internet party any seats. So I’m betting Internet will get only one if any MPs.
        So if the Maori party vote collapses, and the vote goes to Mana in the Maori seats….

    • Hanswurst 25.3

      Ah, but what if the 4% is Mana/Internet and the 3% is the Maori party? You’re just stacking up a row of numbers you pulled out of your arse; you shouldn’t be surprised when people take the mickey out of your sloppy wording and poor presentation, rather than taking something seriously which was basically an exercise in reading your own entrails and mumbling the results.

  26. xtasy 26

    Reading the above, I gather, the madness does not end here, and will not end soon. I would be happy even if Labour get the basic message here, the bottom line so to say, if they dare do:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmJ5MLhGxoI

    THE FORGOTTEN PEOPLE!!!

  27. xtasy 27

    A NEW piece, uplifting, full of culture and vigor, by a comrade from Eastern shores of the world, it cannot get any better, the tune is GOOD, not as passionate as the Latins, as I am used to , but honest and quality:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvGamOcdFY8

    WE must be winning after all, despite the “pulls”.

  28. xtasy 28

    EL PUEBLO UNIDO JAMAS SERA VENCIDO, MOVIMENTO POR TRABAJORES Y ANARCHISTAS:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8516-cDbWY

    Not “Labour” territory, I suppose, not going by the existing MPs and lot, what a laughing stock, nothing “revolutionary”, not even the moderate European way, a joke, that i s Labour NZ, a shocking disgrace!

  29. xtasy 29

    “No matter what goes on, it is a discgrace, what goes on here in NZ, there is all kinds of talk about deals here there and the other, it is all about a few individuals and so, and NOT about the people at all, it is disgusting.

    I do NOT vote for Labour ever again, the biggest liars there ever have been, and I am not sure I wil cote for Maori Party, Mana or even Greens.

    You have all treated us as shit, so do not expect us to vote for your crap parties. That is my view as tangata whenua, I will NOT vote Labour, get fucked!”

    That is one of many votes I hear, and I feel I had to post it here, for some to get the message!

  30. xtasy 30

    Sol Y Lluvia, cantar de la revolucion, por favor:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zNYk1U92kU

    YOU will NOT get this here in Aotearoa, not for nothing, this is musica por favor de chile Y otras places. It is stuff we need more of. Best of wishes and salude, por la futura.

    Viva Chile y viva Novo Zelandia

  31. xtasy 31

    Fascism has a FACE, and the FACE is NEAR YOU, that is one PM in rule in NZ:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOae00Fp7LQ

    FIGHT FASCISM AND CORRUPT RULE, LIKE IN THE NZ NATIONAL PARTY DOMINANT RULE THAT IS TIED IN WITH BIG BUSINESS!

  32. fisiani 32

    Shane Jones would never say he was ashamed to be a man. He could see the writing on the wall. Waitakere Man is not amused. Wainuiomata Man is despairing. No wonder Labour canvassers are getting such a hard time when doorknocking. Can you imagine ANY other male member of caucus admitting to being ashamed of being a man? Obviously not. Limit the damage. Roll the Cunliffe and pick a real man or woman.

    • locus 32.1
      • a good man has the courage to visit a women’s refuge – to empathise – and feel shame
      • a good man sees something rotten in a country where 20,000 women are abused each year
      • a good man knows that the attitude of being ‘a real man’ is part of the problem
    • freedom 32.2

      Fisiani, how do you feel about your man John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand, the man who told Christchurch how his Government would be there with them every step of the way yet this week he simply stepped aside as a Rape Crisis Centre in Christchurch had to close its doors because his Government would not stump up thirty thousand dollars? Is that the sort of man you respect?

      • Murray Olsen 32.2.1

        On Planet Key, the victims can go to the local rugby club and complain. If they’d say things to a professional counsellor that they’re not prepared to say to drunk rugby players, they’re just being tricky.

      • fisiani 32.2.2

        It is disgraceful that you try to play politics with the victims of sexual crime. Your clear implication is that John Key simply does not care about such victims. I know that no one actually believes that slur and thus you are just trying to play gotcha politics about a topic that is more complex than you portray. Shame on you.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 32.2.2.1

          The easiest way of working out what crimes the right plans to or is executing on the rest of society is to look at what they are accusing the left of.

          It’s like some weird self diagnosis that manifests itself in projection onto others, and it’s uncannily accurate.

          Tom Jackson.

        • freedom 32.2.2.2

          Even for you that is weak fisiani

          Team NZ gets 5 million to tide them over and this Government you prostrate yourself in front of cannot find thirty grand to keep Christchurch’s only Rape Crisis Support line open
          and you try to turn it on me?

          I wipe my hands of you, you are not worth the time or effort of anyone here.
          You are the most disingenuous person I think I have ever had the misfortune to communicate with.

    • gnomic 32.3

      If you actually believe the drivel you write you are an idiot, otherwise a shill.

      Jane Shones? Hahaha. Olympic class idiot and turncoat, even class traitor. To be a great orator you need to have something worthwhile to say, capiche clown?

  33. Jrobin 33

    100 locus

  34. Awww 34

    The last thing I want is a Labour win now because of their compulsory Kiwisaver policy.
    Forced “investments” that are completely outside the control of the contributor are a recipe for financial disaster and exploitation.

    It’s basically a tax rise in disguise.

    • Te Reo Putake 34.1

      You must be spitting about National’s roading policy then. Not to mention the Hobbits.

    • Lanthanide 34.2

      “that are completely outside the control of the contributor”

      Good thing you have a huge amount of control of who you invest with, and what they do with your money, then.

      “It’s basically a tax rise in disguise.”

      No, not really. As of last week, my kiwisaver has a return of 189% on top of the amount I’ve personally contributed.

      It would be a ‘tax rise’ if I had 0% of the money I’d contributed, but actually I have 289%.

  35. The Pink Postman. 35

    I live in Cambridge ,the most Tory town in Aotearoa .I speak to many of the residents (after all I have lived here 50 years) and I am surprised at the people who tell me that are not happy with Key .
    or his team. I am picking that there is going to be a big disapointment for the Nats.If Labour comes up with a good farming policy even those die in the wood Tory farmers may at lest stay at home .

  36. aerobubble 36

    Key says no to CGT as it wont apply to private homes,
    unlike GST, GST doesn’t apply to businesses. What Key
    means is businesses need support but families dont.

    • aerobubble 36.1

      Whyte recently commented how evil government was to provide business welfare. Which seems odd given he never says a word about GST exceptions for business. But hell, ACT is all about providing a menu of stupid policies that National and pick from when it needs to distract. i.e. Charter Schools, Three strikes injustice, etc.

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