The Australian election is on today. Is this the end of Scomo and the Liberals? Is Tony Abbott goneburger? Will the last act of Bob Hawke’s life push Labor over the line?
The Pollbludger website gets the numbers from the lat poll of some 3000 people
On the primary vote, Labor is steady on 37% and, contrary to Ipsos and Essential Research, the Coalition is down a point to 38%; the Green are steady on 9%; the United Australia Party is steady on 4%; and One Nation is down one to 3%. https://www.pollbludger.net When they trnsfer that to TPP it becomes 51.5-48.5. labour- coalition. Don't ask me how.As while parties give how to vote cards voters don't always follow that. One nation and UAP voters seem to split their preferences say 55-60% coalition and 40-45% to labour
You don't really think that Lange's death had an effect do you? Personally, having seen the Australian result, I think Hawke's death did as much for Labour there as Lange's did for Labour here. In other words zilch.
Have you really forgotten the massive bribe of the interest free student loans? Now that was what saved Labour in 2005.
I would agree with you about the reaction to Lange's death. I was sad that he had died so young, given that he was less than a year older than I was. He was truly a breath of fresh air to New Zealand politics after the dire days of Muldoon, and I voted for his party twice at the time he was leader. However by 2005 he had no place in the Labour ranks.
I just don't think his death had any effect on the 2005 voting, despite what Micky Savage seems to think in his comment just below this. How MS comes to his opinion about my response is beyond me.
“You don’t really think that Lange’s death had an effect do you? Personally, having seen the Australian result, I think Hawke’s death did as much for Labour there as Lange’s did for Labour here.”
I don’t think you should hold out your personal response as an example of what much of the population went through.
This is going to be tight one, but the mad monk is gone.
Buttons looks like he’s back with a 3.8% margin
I’ll be piss if the Lib’s get back in as Ubet had the Libs at 15/1 and my bookie had them at 25/1 with a hang House of Representatives at 50/1 before the SocMo called the election as i didn’t put any money on the muppets as Labour was almost even money.
I wouldn’t trust any exited polls tonight or pre election polls according to Antony Green
Quicker than a rat up a drain pipe and a downed brown one the ozzie election turned into a landslide for the ……….crackle…crackle….pop…splutter……… hissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhh…….poof
The latest from the Antony Green, he is saying if the Libs don’t lose any seats in WA they will have just sneak over the line and if they don’t they will be in minority government.
Abbott is irrelevant. He would have probably gone before the next term was up. This is no consolation. The ALP was destroyed tonight. Australians seems to care more about their retirement nest egg than their fellow countrymen. Similar case here.
Australians seems to care more about their retirement nest egg than their fellow countrymen.
Given that their 'fellow countrymen' don't appear to care much about them either, is this not surprising?
I'm not arguing this is a good thing, quite the opposite, environments that are relatively low trust and high threat will reliably induce people to vote conservative.
Old Barnaby give the Labour Party an all might spray, about Labour giving the working class seats the two finger salute in Qld. As the Libs/Nats have picked a number of working class seats.
But in saying that a number of the wealthy electorates the Libs are struggling because of leftist independents and greens have been running a strong campaign in those seats, I’m sort of thinking had Labour not stood any candidates in those seats? Labour might have its nose in front, but Labour haven’t giving some working class seats an up yours in Qld and else where then this election would’ve been a Labour win.
I forgot that big Clive Palmer’s deal over first preferences to the Liberal/ Nats has also killed off a Labour Government especially in Qld.
Barnaby is a fool. Carrying on about 'working class' when his party will gleefully shaft them for the big agriculture and mining interests that bankroll him.
Off the ABC: "Many commentators thought this was going to be a big night for Labor but early results are worrying for the party, with Penny Wong acknowledging that Queensland is a problem."
Queensland is a problem? Fact saying that like it's a new thing. Isn't that where Pauline Hanson is from?
Yeah. I don't see how Labor can do it now. Only good thing to come out of this is that Shorten and the rest of these empty suits will be cleaned out over the next 3 years and a new generation will come through, who will move away from the Blairite triangulation.
Recriminations are already starting in ALP with some pointing the finger at Shorten. It's funny … just a few days ago I was wondering if the Aussies would end up with an Ed Miliband situation on Election Night … Polls pointing to a Lab victory … but an unpopular leader proving decisive when potential swing-voters to Labor actually entered the booths.
Generally around 10 points behind Scotty in Pref PM Polls … & with big Dissatisfaction numbers.
Whether or not the Shorten factor proved absolutely decisive … it almost certainly played some part in these pretty dismal results.
I’m told there has been a swing against to Warren what’s has name in the NT which has a Labour safe seat the early 80’s. Antony Green has said that it’s impossible for Labour to form Government, so its going to be either majority or minority government for the Libs/ Nat.
The figures from Qld are very similar to old Johnny Howard’s win back in 2004
Sorry I seem I can’t reply to post here via my IPad for some reason. Is there any fix for this problem?
Great day for Au if it goes to plan for Scomo, Likewise no pesky abbott causing mischief in the background Morrison seems a straight up and likeable guy, Short dodgy in person and in past
Yes I think ScoMo won’t be having a knife throwing contest during this term and I wouldn’t be surprised if we could see a possible a term Lib/Nat Government (yuck)
Millsy @ 14.1, it’s more of a dig at Labour for sucking up to the big end of the town and giving the working class seats the flick and you now something is wrong when those usually Labour held seats have gone over to the Lib or Nats or independent. I believe if Albo had been the Labour Leader these working class/ Labour seats would’ve been held or gained
Not sure working class how we traditionally see it really exists any more as a unified voting class or that if it does labour really represents it Labour is more upper middle class Champaign socialists and identity politics, likewise anti Christian that does not help with this class if it still exists
Christians seem to have the habit of denying science and telling people who they and cannot have intimate relationships with and what they can do with their bodies. Labour should be damn well anti Christian.
Sure they can ignore a large voting block across many identities and classes Its a very naive and selected view of Christianity you have Millsy focussing on the fundamentalist who are a very small minority Not all Christian’s have a simplistic view of Christianity as a old white gut sitting on a cloud and firing thunder bolts hating gays and adulterers
Christians will purge evolution from schools and take gays out the back and shoot them given half the chance. Look at what has happened in Alabama when you give the god botherers full control of things. Of course you don't mind women being told what they can and cannot do.
Yes dear, Nz and Au are exactly like Alabama, similarly let’s deals in extremes Maybe not extreme socialism does not have a great past in taking out and shooting any one who does not agree with it, nor in controlling women reproductive decisions
Communist countries such as East Germany and Poland had abortion on demand and full access to birth control. Things that can only happen be imposing restrictions on the god botherers.
Have a look at communist China abortion 1 child policy and practice , 2 levels telling you how many you can have and forced abortion if you break the rules Let’s not even get to how they treated those lucky enough to survive the policy, if they felt a problem Ughurs the most recent recent poor souls who need to fit in to the socialist nirvana
Bewildered @ 23.1, it was one of the causes, but I don’t it was a major issue in my books. It think the biggest issue is around the middle class toffs and the workers in Labour seat turning to the Liberal/ Nats? As old shiffy Shorten didn’t seem to to properly explain Labour’s policy on tax, negative gearing, or dividend share tax etc.
Bewildered @ 24.1 I fully agree with your comment that is more a middle class toffs party now than looking after the workers or underprivileged and really don’t give them a toss nowadays
Sort of agree EKW but not sure the average Aussie worker is that bad off, compared to kiwi low skilled labour etc they are pretty well looked after. This voting block plus tradies etc are no longer traditional labour or exist as a unified voting class The underprivileged are another matter and don’t tend to vote or a relatively small cohort , similarly the so called working class are not big on massive redistribution of their hard earned income or seeing their jobs destroyed by greens or transformation that hits their hip pocket
Old Barrie Cassidy, said yo can’t have an ambitious manifesto now from opposition almost shades of poor old Foot and old Hewson with Keating which was mean to be a Lib election win.
Millsy@ 26.1 Yes Labour has almost a shade of Blair’s New Labour and they wonder why the workers, the underprivileged have given them the two fingers and bugged off to the blue side or green of politics.
My electorate of Lingiari has had a 6.3% swing to the Country Liberal Party against the sitting Labour member which is normally a safe Labour seat, but this seat covers about 90% of the NT so there is a lot of remote polling votes to come in yet and at the moment the young lady J Price from the CLP is currently ahead. Knowing her mum Bess Price and her daughters background, I will say this seat will change hands for the first time since the 80’s when this seat was formed.
Unbelievable result. The right certainly know how to win elections. Hopefully the Australian Labor party can rebuild and win back those voters who have clearly abandoned them.
Congratulations to Scott Morrison. The accidental PM has personally pulled off the totally unexpected. He will likely be a decent PM even if the left won't be thrilled with his govt, we could certainly have hoped for a different outcome.
From the moment ScoMo became PM he's juggled a series of disunity crisis' that would have destroyed many others. You have to have some respect for this; managing through tough times competently is an under-rated skill.
Shorten was terribly unlucky, up against Turnbull he would have likely won. I've met him in person and he's impressive enough. But resigning is his only option and the ALP will go through the process of coming to terms with what has happened.
I've no particular sense of why QLD led the swing against them, but the unpalatable truth is that across the entire country the left has lost what should have been an unloseable election. They should have done better everywhere; not dissimilar to how Clinton lost to Trump, only this time without the populist demagogue to blame. Hopefully the ALP will take ownership of this hard truth with quiet dignity and intellectual integrity.
A successful adoption of the GOP tactic of reducing voter enrollment – a win for John Howard. There is no way Queensland would have gone so well for the Coalition if all the Kiwis there had voted.
There is also the white man thing, security in those of their kind continuing to rule – the abuse of women in the Liberal caucus probably won them more votes than it lost.
And the capacity of the boomers to look after themselves is going to be their generational legacy …
There is no way Queensland would have gone so well for the Coalition if all the Kiwis there had voted.
Well in fact many of us Kiwis in Australia are effectively disenfranchised in both countries. We can't vote in Australia and often we can't in NZ either. The rules require that we either:
a New Zealand citizen who has been in New Zealand at any point in the past three years,or
a New Zealand permanent resident who has been in New Zealand at any point in the past 12 months.
I'm not sure what fraction of the 600,000 kiwis would be disqualified by this but it would be significant. Plus there are several extra steps involved in making an online or overseas vote. It's not surprising only a tiny fraction of ex-pats finish up actually casting a vote.
Australia has always had a "citizens only" voting qualification, unlike NZ where permanent residents can vote as well.
So I don't think the "Kiwi factor" would have made any difference in the Australian election (in Queensland). Even before the changes in 2001, most Kiwis did not take out Australian citizenship.
And even if Kiwis could vote, many would vote for the Liberals.
Suck it up sun shine and just accept it not every one agrees with your world view Democracy is the winner on the day Whining and throwing out stock lefty excuses is sad The Sun came up this morning ( just a little brighter) 😊
Gloating is ugly James. The only purpose for making that comment was to inflict a bit more pain on people who you know will already be disappointed and therefore vulnerable.
Being despondent that the electorate plainly gives no fucks about the environment and that religious extremists will likely end up running the shop isn't blaming others.
Yes it is. The Libs had gone through a catastrophic leadership knife fight, the ALP was leading all the polls, the tide of opinion on climate change is turning, the issue of illegal immigration has cooled dramatically, even the media wasn't all bad as usual … all the big cards were stacked in their favour. Yet still they couldn't win. They have to look to themselves long and hard as to why.
Blaming 'racist/fanatic fuckheads in the electorate' is the hallmark of losers.
Blaming 'racist/fanatic fuckheads in the electorate' is the hallmark of losers.
Going too far there Redlogix.
My initial reaction when hearing the news this morning was:
"well that's it. Trump America has arrived in Australia."
Actually it was always there but now they are out in the open. And that is the darned truth. It's not blaming others.
When the towns and cities start going up in flames and they hop in their little boats and row across the Tasman, we'll turn them away like they turn other desperate folks away now. That'll learn them.
S'alright James and co. I don't really mean it. I don't think. 😳
Actually it was always there but now they are out in the open.
There may well be some element truth to of that, but to imply that every Australian who voted Lib yesterday is a racist fuckhead modeled on Trump's America … is still avoiding the truth. It's the same game the Democrats have played pointing the finger at the 'deplorables' instead of doing the honest work to understand why they're unelectable.
I did not take that meaning from Joe 90's comment because I thought the same albeit in a less orally provocative way.
The "racist fuckheads" voted for the Libs 'in toto' otherwise the result would have been different. Doesn't mean all the Lib voters fall into this category and Joe 90 wasn't suggesting as much.
I haven't checked the figures this morning. but it looked like Queensland was the big spoiler last night and that is not surprising. The state has a reputation for having a very large contingent of "racist fuckheads" going back many decades.
The state has a reputation for having a very large contingent of "racist fuckheads" going back many decades.
Yes while they are more conservative (and this has geographic parallels with the USA) it's really not dramatically different; it's the usual mix just a little more tilted.
This idea that Australia is full of six fingered rednecks is just a Kiwi conceit.
An interesting point that speaks to an underlying problem we have with democracy:
There is a longer-term issue involved in this national outcome.
The rebuff to Labor amounts to a warning for all parties and politicians not to enter an election with a detailed policy package announced well in advance.
The political atmosphere here and in other democracies favours simplistic certainties, not bold change and vision.
As Liberal John Hewson found in 1993, Labor’s Bill Shorten has learned in 2019: Being a reformer exposes you to misrepresentation by an opponent unencumbered by fresh direction.
It's arguable Ardern only just squeaked into power here in NZ because she didn't have enough time to articulate a detailed vision, and part of her on-going success is that she's preferred the pragmatic over idealistic.
<blockquote>
It's arguable Ardern only just squeaked into power here in NZ because she didn't have enough time to articulate a detailed vision,
</blockquote>
it wasn’t her lack of vision – it was how much she was willing to give Winston to buy power with our money. That squeaked her into power.
Ardern did remarkably better in the election than would have been expected months earlier. If she hadn't pulled Labour up in to the high 30's Winston would have been irrelevant.
What Ardern and Morrison have in common, along with the likes of Trump, was a lack of incumbency, a lack of detailed political track record on which they could be attacked.
It is a triumph for Australia. The people have chosen a pro growth path that should sustain for the next two decades. Lip service will be paid to the Paris Agreement, preceeding a withdrawal in 2025.
Indeed. Only this time the left really has nowhere else to place the blame. Morrison came back from political death, ran an effective political campaign and has won decisively. The left got outplayed … again.
If we want to change the outcomes we can only change ourselves. Whining that the other guys are nasty people, that they cheat, they treat us mean and don't recognise our intellectual and moral superiority, is just that … whining.
Here is my starting point. The conversation needs to understand what politics is really for and how we can play a more effective role in it. Hint, it isn't about 'winning and losing':
The paradox of running an effective political campaign versus effectively running a country. The campaign is the glossy add, full of appealing promises. The term in Government is the product. Voters are the consumers that are lured by ads making the assumption that the better the ad, the better the product. It is much easier to improve the ad than the product; once the sale is done, the money is in. People tend to by brands they know and trust.
And may this excellent trend continue Hard lefties are really deplorable as comments by Ann, SPC and Joe 90 detest I am always surprised why they are surprised when their know all, superiority complex sees their favourites who hold similar world views are crushed at the ballot box
The conflation by pulling these extreme comments with liberal election win to demean liberal voters Joe is the issue and I suggest you know it Not to mention using this crazy womens comments as your shield is deplorable but a common tactic of the left
The Australian liberals are heading down the same path as the GOP. Goldwater warned about the preachers getting control of the [Republican] party and the past while has shown him to be correct.
Just because they say it Joe it don’t make it so Re US good chance democrats pick up the next election if they can get their loony left rump under control The centre left or right do not like the extremes
Yes. The Libs. ran a false smear campaign on Federal Taxes in the same way the Nats ran the campaign on CGT. We've got a name for it – Dirty Politics. Others call is Fake News.
There may have been misrepresentation but there was also 'incentive'….it seems that less tax remains a vote winner, and once 'less tax' is in place it is almost impossible to reverse…a fundamental difficulty for any 'left' party…and fertile ground for libertarians.
The flip side when a new tax is introduced it is very hard to remove so it’s not really difficult to understand why people from all persuasions don’t like more tax If labour have just worked this out they really do live in La la land
On the contrary, removing taxes if the easiest thing in the political realm, as you yourself note tax is broadly unpopular, the difficulty is the likely necessity to remove services to compensate for the lost revenue…that appears to be more politicly palatable, especially if those services are not likely to be accessed by your constituency
Getting rid of tax burden and replacing it with another tax is not getting rid of tax burden overall but moving the deck chairs Proposing new taxes and increasing overall tax burden and believing that will not be popular is a “know shit Sherlock moment” If labour Have just realised this more fool them
"Getting rid of tax burden and replacing it with another tax is not getting rid of tax burden overall but moving the deck chairs Proposing new taxes and increasing overall tax burden and believing that will not be popular"
Others call it Politics, not that labour is not prone to a healthy amount of bs and smearing If you can’t handle the heat get out of the kitchen This was labour’s election to lose, they did in a grandiose way
Pat @42. Blaming National for this governments inability to implement a CGT is a disgrace, Labour in particular have no one to blame but themselves. Ardern and co threw in the towel before they even got off the stool. They let National control the narrative because they refused to go in and fight for what's right. That's on us, accept it.
Meh…you would appear to be a lost argument looking for somewhere to land…and your comment to Mickey Boyle is of no relevance to my response to his confusion
Come on, Pat! We all know that Jacinda Ardern campaigned hard for CGT in Oz. She even sent over Sir Michael but National got wind of it and sent Simon to neutralise Sir Mike. It paid off, didn’t it? The Mad Monk is gone. This is the sole reason why JC will be the next leader of National. Please keep up!
Your ducking for cover Pat Mickey highlighted as with Ardern and Nz labour needed to own Cgt shambles LABOUR Au need to own this election loss , you seem to be arguing that they where blindsided by the people response to their tax policy and the libs exploiting this As Mickey indicates they need to own this if they where to dumb to understand that this is what they would be judged and attacked on, well as I said more full then In reality I think it was way more than tax
There is no need to duck for cover as I have made a brief judgement on that which swung the Aussie election, is it the sole reason?undoubtably not but I suggest it is a key reason for although they lost badly in Queensland (apparently) their support in the largest states failed to counter that…two states with falling property values I may add.
As to ownership i made no judgement though that should be obvious in a democracy
Apologies that was my fault for the confusion. I was actually referring to Pat's comment at 42.1.1. And Arderns and Labours inability to even put up an ounce of fight for a policy they say they believe in. Less tax is currently only a vote winner because our side refuses to convey what effects a CGT etc would have on the average kiwi. We seem reluctant to fight for our policies, which leads to plenty of poll watching without much real action. Year of delivery, transformational, it all means nothing if you are not prepared to state your case and fight for it. Sorry but for some reason when I press reply I cannot type anything in the comment box?
Again Im not sure why you are taking umbrage as my comment at 42.1.1 makes no reference to CGT, National, Ardern or even NZ…it is a general observation about the implications of tax policy on parties with a public ownership model, or 'the left".
This is what you wrote, "it seems that less tax remains a vote winner, and once 'less tax' is in place it is almost impossible to reverse". That's all I'm arguing against. Less tax is only currently a vote winner because those on our side who are currently in power and whom believe in paying more to support our vulnerable or deliver better social policies, refuse to fight and counter the false narrative that we allow our opponents to foster. I have no doubt that Ardern and co could've got a CGT across the line, my point is that they didnt even try. Less tax is only a vote winner because voters do not see how an alternative would benefit themselves and society.
"Blaming National for this governments inability to implement a CGT is a disgrace, Labour in particular have no one to blame but themselves. Ardern and co threw in the towel before they even got off the stool. They let National control the narrative because they refused to go in and fight for what's right. That's on us, accept it."
and wheres the blame and lack of acceptance?….it certainly isnt in 42 or 42.1
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by Daphna Whitmore US social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt spoke on 1 August in Auckland to a crowd of around one thousand people. He is best known for his bookThe Coddling of the American Mind which examines the new climate of trigger warnings and acute sensitivity of Gen Z. ...
What an extraordinarily depressing experience it is to be compelled to watch, at 12,000 miles distance, the contortions and machinations of the British political class as they set about their determined attempt to overturn the decision taken by the British people that they wish to leave the European Union. The ...
The winter grazing issue is becoming a highly sensitised one that I hope will not become so politicised that it delays solutions and results in the suicides of some very stressed farmers.Winter grazing has hit the headlines after a determined campaign, including the release of a video of some very ...
by Don Franks Way back when British guitar virtuoso Joe Brown was a beginning session guy he got to back a visiting American artist. Young Joe was an able technician but had yet to learn some points of professionalism. Part way through “Five foot high and rising” Joe tired of ...
Since scientists started studying climate change, they have warned that it will reduce food production. And now, its happening:The climate crisis is damaging the ability of the land to sustain humanity, with cascading risks becoming increasingly severe as global temperatures rise, according to a landmark UN report compiled by some ...
The Abortion Legislation Bill just passed its first reading, 94-23. Its a far bigger margin than I expected, even allowing for the Winston factor, and it reflects the overwhelming support there is in this country for reform. but that support isn't a new thing - it has existed for literally ...
The Justice Committee has called for submissions on the Referendums Framework Bill. The Bill does what it says on the label - establishes a framework for referenda. Things you may want to address in your submission: Whether the bill should apply only at the 2020 election, or whether it should ...
The Thompson and Clark / MBIE spying scandal continues to result in fallout, this time in the form of a report on the implementation of MBIE's "Operation Exploration", its internal operation to enforce the infamous Anadarko Amendment which criminalised protests against the oil industry. MBIE's enforcement operation was tainted by ...
So, Winston Peters is defending his last-minute demand for a referendum on abortion by claiming he was "blindsided" by the bill. Really? The bill is a government bill. It has been working through the cabinet approval process since December last year. As part of that process, NZ First was consulted, ...
The Green Part has been accused of lack of transparency in two recent situations. The first was the claimed media lockdown during Green's annual conference and the second was Julie Ann Genter's refusal to release a letter she had sent to Phil Twyford.I do get frustrated when journalist's succumb to ...
The Green Part has been accused of lack of transparency in two recent situations. The first was the claimed media lockdown during Green's annual conference and the second was Julie Ann Genter's refusal to release a letter she had sent to Phil Twyford.I do get frustrated when journalist's succumb to ...
Last week, the ongoing democracy protests in Hong Kong saw a pro-Hong Kong student assaulted at the University of Auckland. The Chinese consulate in Auckland followed this up with a press release "express[ing] its appreciation to the students for their spontaneous patriotism" - effectively condoning the assault and inciting further ...
Only those who close their eyes and minds to the evidence can still be in any doubt that we are facing a climate change crisis. The evidence is conclusive that the world is not only getting inexorably hotter, but also that the rising temperatures are creating a number of other ...
Rural communities are wailing about forestry conversions "taking land out of production" and putting it into locking up carbon. Its driven purely by economics: there's more money and lower costs in carbon than in sheep or beef, and if carbon prices rise, there'll be more net money than dairy even. ...
This week, the government introduced its (underwhelming) Abortion Legislation Bill. And despite having negotiated the text of the bill through the coalition process, Winston Peters is now suggesting that he will demand a referendum on it:NZ First leader Winston Peters has hinted that his party may only support the Government's ...
Blowing-Up The House: Is Winston Peters planning to put himself at the head of all those New Zealanders who refuse to countenance the Coalition Government caving-in to the Ihumatao protesters? The most effective way of doing this would be to issue Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with an ultimatum. If she ...
Last night the police dramatically incresed their numbers at Ihumātao, shoving over protestors and threatening them with arrest. Despite police talk about the need to maintain "public order" and prevent a "breach of the peace", there appeared to be absolutely no justification for this: the protest camp is, was, and ...
A Cult, that many actors, politicians, and those with a low IQ are joining is sweeping across civilisation, with one main intention – ending humans reign on Earth. Starting as a well meaning though deeply flawed theory, that the Earth was warming due to mankind emitting greenhouse gasses, it was ...
Today's abortion reform announcement is just the latest in a long line of disappointing decisions or outright failures from the Labour government. The 90-day law. KiwiBuild. A capital gains tax. Climate change. Every time they make one of those decisions, we hope for better next time. No repeal of the ...
The Greens used their party conference over the weekend to push for a rent-to-own scheme, where people would be able to work towards home ownership by renting from the government. Its a sensible policy, and one which could make a real difference to home ownership rates. But its also basicly ...
by Daphna Whitmore Over the past fortnight, thousands of people have come to the Ihumātao land protest in South Auckland. On 23 July police prepared to evict a few dozen people who had maintained the encampment at Ihumātao for the past three years. As hundreds of supporters arrived the ...
The following article is translated from an article in Lutte de Classe (Class Struggle), the magazine of the French revolutionary workers’ organisation Lutte Ouvrière (Workers Struggle). The United States’ blacklisting of the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei, which took shape in Google’s ban on Huawei using its systems on its phones, marks a ...
There is a military phrase: “Full spectrum dominance”. It refers to the all-encompassing policy to dominate across all spheres of war. Lately, that has come to include the internet – in other words, cyberwarfare initiatives. That is in addition to land, sea, air and the like. Now, if ...
The IMF issued a Report on the state of the Economy as it is at present. Some of it points out significant issues that certainly warrant attention, but that we know already exist. Some of it is very much tied to the very obvious context of global concerns, that everyone ...
I'm glad to see the Lib Dems won.I had a moment of terror yesterday thinking that the Conservatives might cling on, due to a combination of Johnson's elevation to the premiership, the apparent uselessness of the Lib Dem candidate (who had failed to be elected in other constituencies) and the ...
. . Current Leader of the National Party, Simon Bridges gave the usual rah-rah speech to the Loyal & Faithful in Christchurch today (27 July). With National’s party polling and his own personal popularity sliding steadily in the polls, Mr Bridges has not much left to reverse his fortunes. ...
Those concerned for Langridge’s wellbeing say they hope he’ll change his mind when he sees the ocean coming. The protester who has vowed to stand outside Parliament every day until the Government announces a climate emergency says he accepts that his quest will most likely end in drowning. Ollie Langridge, ...
What will climate change do to our capital city? The Wellington City Council has updated its projections, ditching its optimistic 0.6m estimate for sea-level rise in favour of a more realistic 1.5m. And the result is devastating:Wellington City Council has unofficially ditched an optimistic sea-level rise scenario in favour of ...
Image Credit: How To Start a Blog – Beginner’s Guide for 2019 I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. ...
More complaints have been aired about the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCICh) into the Christchurch terrorist attacks. These have centred on the perception that the RBICh has not paid enough attention to the Muslim community who were the targets of the attacks and the sole victims of them. Even though ...
The government has announced more decisions about the ETS, specifically about the phase-down of free allocation. Industrial emitters have been receiving free credits for a decade now, originally tied to 2005 emissions levels, then linked by National to current production (turning it into a direct pollution subsidy). If we are ...
Opportunities to dodge tax are shrinking with the completion of a new tax agreement with Switzerland, Revenue Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Mr Nash and the Swiss Ambassador David Vogelsanger have today signed documents to update the double tax agreement (DTA). The previous DTA was signed in 1980. “Double tax ...
Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says the report of the Small Business Council will help maintain the momentum for innovation and improvements in the sector. Mr Nash has thanked the members of the Small Business Council (SBC) who this week handed over their report, Empowering small businesses to aspire, succeed ...
Extra Police officers are being deployed from Northland to Southland with the graduation of a new wing of recruits from the Royal New Zealand Police College. “The graduation of 78 constables today means that 1524 new constables have been deployed since the government took office,” says Police Minister Stuart Nash. ...
Almost $600 million has been paid into taxpayers’ bank accounts in the past two months, after the first season of automatic tax assessments. Revenue Minister Stuart Nash says the completion of this year’s tax refund season is a significant milestone. “The ability of Inland Revenue to run auto calculations for ...
Simon Shepherd: Roads, schools, hospitals, prisons, the building blocks that keep society functioning. And we don't have enough. It's called the infrastructure deficit and will be the focus of a major conference this coming week. The man charged with ...
New Zealand has been issued a stark challenge from Pacific leaders to dramatically upscale its action to address climate breakdown, Oxfam says, after a clear rallying cry from nations at this week’s Pacific Islands Forum. ...
Support for Recreational Dope Going ‘Up in Smoke’ Family First NZ is welcoming yet another poll showing plummeting support for legalising cannabis in New Zealand. The Horizon Research poll shows support for legalising has plummeted from 60% last ...
The prospect of ending wider cannabis prohibition looks increasingly unlikely. Over the last nine months, the percentage of New Zealanders who would vote for legalising the personal use of cannabis has declined at a near linear rate of around 10% per ...
“It’s disappointing that news out of the United States of hospitalisations linked to illegal street drugs is somehow seen as relevant to the New Zealand vaping scene,” says Ben Pryor, Director of Alt New Zealand – the largest Kiwi-owned vaping company. ...
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) welcomes the successful passing of Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill through parliament, by the New Zealand Government. ...
Today’s news from the Electoral Commission has provided the party with the clarity it was seeking around use of the word “Coalition” being used as the brand name of the party. ...
A recently released Otago University study has provided further evidence that low-quality housing is a significant problem in Aotearoa. This has prompted the Chief Executive of the Association of Consulting Engineers (ACENZ) Paul Evans to question “why ...
With the BNZ-Business NZ PMI signaling manufacturing is contracting , the Government needs to seriously consider tax relief, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . ...
The New Zealand Maori Council has called for an overhaul of the Public Services executive ranks as the Corrections debacle shows mis-management and incompetence at the highest level. Matthew Tukaki, Executive Director of the New Zealand Maori Council has said ...
Findings from the 2018 New Zealand Consumer Survey have been released and the results are in; 48 per cent of respondents consider their purchases based on how ethically employees are treated. ...
The responsibility for the fact that Westland Milk Products is now in the hands of an overseas conglomerate 25% owned by the Chinese government can be laid fair and square at our government's doorstep. ...
As Fonterra is projecting multi million dollar losses for the second year in a row, it is clear the writing is on the wall for dairy as more and more Kiwis turn to plant milks. 22nd August is International Plant Milk Day and there is now a different plant ...
The $65,000 granted to Interislander so it can install electric vehicle chargers on its ferries is the most absurd waste of money yet to be delivered by the “Low Emissions” vehicle fund, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. ...
Wellingtonians will have the chance to hear international child rights experts from Ireland, Scotland and Samoa speak at the Making Child Rights Real in Aotearoa New Zealand seminar to be held in the city on Wednesday 21 August. ...
Paul Evans, Chief Executive of the Association of Consulting Engineers (ACENZ), is advocating a balanced approach to the development of productive land. ...
CPAG (Child Poverty Action Group) says that new research from the University of Otago provides a solid foundation for why the Government must not delay instating a comprehensive Warrant of Fitness for tenanted homes in Aotearoa-New Zealand, and ...
The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that an officer drove carelessly during a pursuit and that this was the primary cause of a collision with a motorcycle that injured the rider. ...
Responding to the Prime Minister’s commitment of $150 million in funding for climate change response in the Pacific, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “It is no secret that many Pacific nations lack serious oversight when it ...
AUT research not only shows an increase in political affiliation, but that candidates affiliated to a central political party are more likely to win seats in Auckland local government. ...
On the 23rd of August School Strike NZ will join Ollie Langridge in his 100th day of sitting outside of New Zealand Parliament calling for the government to declare a climate emergency. School Strike 4 Climate NZ also demand that Parliament acknowledge ...
You have stood up for what is fair, and I am sure you will speak for over 7 million people who have been muted and rendered voiceless in Indian occupied Kashmir for more than a 10 days now. I am writing to bring to your notice the plight of Kashmiri ...
In the last 10 months alone, 11 petitions have been delivered to Parliament calling for medicines to be funded by Pharmac. Today, another nine petitions have been launched by Patient Voice Aotearoa (PVA) members asking that life changing, saving and extending ...
When we were first working to get Miscanthus approved for import into New Zealand, the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) waived the fee for their work because they thought that having Miscanthus in New Zealand was so very much in the ...
PHARMAC’s recent decision to fund two additional drugs from December this year has been widely welcomed by patients and the general public alike. The drugs, Kadcyla and Ibrance, are used in the treatment of advanced lung and breast cancers and will ...
Animal rights organisation SAFE is urging the Government to include experts and advocates from outside the agriculture industry on its newly announced winter crop grazing taskforce. ...
The Government’s plans to prohibit housing on ‘productive’ farmland will serve as yet another regulatory tax on housing, and is a shameful breach of Jacinda Ardern’s promise to fix housing supply, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . ...
The latest round of the Ethnic Communities Development Fund opens today, supporting projects that grow the leadership and capability of ethnic groups, improve cultural understanding, and ensure our ethnic communities are a vibrant and celebrated part ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is warning of the dangers of hiking excise tax, in response to calls from a former Prime Minister for stronger action on alcohol harm. Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “It seems inevitable ...
LGNZ will be cautiously assessing the wider implications of the newly proposed National Position Statement on Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL), noting that that it traverses a number of highly complex policy areas including housing affordability and property ...
Horticulture New Zealand has welcomed the Government’s draft National Policy Statement on Highly Productive Land, saying it will help ensure that New Zealand can grow its own vegetables and fruit. ...
Background documents for Budget 2019 are now available from on the Treasury website: https://treasury.govt.nz/publications/information-release/budget-2019-information-release ...
The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry has welcomed a move by Crown agencies to lift confidentiality obligations on survivors of abuse in State care arising from settlement agreements with the Crown. ...
An evaluation of New Zealand’s first sexual violence court has confirmed that the approach taken in the judge-led pilot considerably reduces the time that cases take to reach trial. ...
The National Party is pleased to announce the appointment of Paula Bennett as our Campaign Chair for the 2020 General Election, President Peter Goodfellow says. ...
14 August 2019 – 18 senior business leaders and employment experts have been appointed as judges for New Zealand’s sixth annual Equal Pay Awards reflecting the breadth of companies who have entered. The Awards added three new categories in 2018: Innovation, ...
Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “This is more proof that bureaucrats do not make good tech tycoons, no matter how much taxpayer money they throw at geeks in Silicon Valley.” ...
August marks five years of the Community Finance initiative. In addition to its well established Financial Mentoring service, The Salvation Army has held more than 5800 financial conversations with Community Finance clients. The loan program helps ...
Today 14/8/19 on news hub AM show Duncan Garner asked National Party leader Simon Bridges ‘what would he do to combat climate change and improve the economy again if he is the next PM”. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/08/simon-bridges-says-most-kiwis-believe-system-gamed-at-last-election.html ...
DairyNZ Chief Executive Dr Tim Mackle is urging the Government to work with agricultural groups to drive real behaviour change on farm, instead of imposing a broad-based tax. Sector organisations have put forward an alternative Primary Sector Climate ...
Iwi forging closer relationship with Stats NZ over Māori data solutions The Data Iwi Leaders Group supports the findings of an independent review into the 2018 New Zealand Census – but says its failings provide a unique opportunity to co-design ...
“Any justification for paying exorbitant salaries to senior managers in business has just been buried in the Fonterra debacle” said Peter Malcolm spokesperson for Income Equality Aotearoa New Zealand Inc---“Closing the Gap” ...
Students are celebrating the Governments announcement of a student voice consultation document at the ‘Voices of the Sector’ hui at Waikato University today. ...
The Spinoff is covering local elections across the country with a new pop-up section. To kick things off, Hayden Donnell went to a mayoral debate at Grey Power on the North Shore of Auckland.John Tamihere walked into the mayoral debate at North Shore Grey Power on Friday just minutes after ...
The Spinoff is covering local elections across the country with a new pop-up section. To kick things off, Hayden Donnell went to a mayoral debate at Grey Power on the North Shore of Auckland.John Tamihere walked into the mayoral debate at North Shore Grey Power on Friday just minutes after ...
Things I Learned at Art School is a new series featuring artists discussing how they do what they do and know what they know. In the second instalment, Megan Dunn talks to Berlin-based New Zealander Simon Denny about Michael Parekowhai, teaching and technology, and an idea involving the online shoe ...
With the acquisition of global rugby streaming leader RugbyPass, Sky might have just secured its future, writes Trevor McKewen.For several months now, the war between Sky and Spark Sport for the peerless prize of All Blacks and New Zealand rugby rights from 2021 onwards has been escalating. Every week, one ...
The Lightbulb asks innovators and entrepreneurs how they turned their ideas into reality. This week we talk to Jamie Cashmore, co-founder of Auckland-based edible packaging company Twiice. First of all, give us your elevator pitch for Twiice.Twiice is a company making edible coffee cups with plans to progress into other areas ...
The recent discovery of a fossil parrot the size of a human toddler is even more reason for Foulden Maar to be protected, writes the chairperson of Save Foulden Maar, Kimberley Collins.Last week, scientists discovered a new species of extinct parrot in the St Bathans Fauna. Weighing in at seven ...
Could a new hybrid of all the government’s major media holdings solve multiple media and government problems? Duncan Greive assesses the case.The media industry, despite what some of us might like to believe, really doesn’t matter all that much economically. Doesn’t employ all that many people. Relatively low wage. ...
The three governing parties are turning their attention to next year’s general election. RNZ‘s Jo Moir surveys the field.The night New Zealand First formed a government with Labour and the Greens, its leader Winston Peters quoted the song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”.Almost two years later all three ...
Analysis: The botched census brings down a chief executive, there's another wave of speculation about Christopher Luxon standing for National and NZ First could sink an attempt to reverse the ban on prisoner voting. ...
Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk Wording has played a crucial role in a reportedly “fierce” Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu with Australia allegedly managing to alter documental terms to downplay its commitment to climate change mitigation. According to RNZ Pacific, a communiqué and separate statement on climate change was released ...
Australia’s coal policy and its use of carry over credits to fulfill its obligations under the Paris Agreement have come under fire and been major points of contention at this year’s 50th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Meeting in Funafuti, Tuvalu. READ MORE: ‘We should have done more for our ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael O’Keefe, Head of Department, Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University The Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Tuvalu this week has ended in open division over climate change. Australia ensured its official communique watered down commitments to respond to climate change, gaining ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Xanthe Mallett, Forensic Criminologist, University of Newcastle Even in death, the voice of Carl Williams is louder than that of his victims. Intimate prison letters written by the convicted murderer and drug trafficker to his ex-wife, Roberta – herself arrested this month ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brianna Chesser, Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Justice, RMIT University In September 2018, a prominent Melbourne surgeon and academic was charged with rape and sexual assault for alleged offences committed a year earlier against a male doctor. The surgeon and doctor had ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Dearnaley, Associate Professor, University of Southern Queensland The blotched butterfly orchid (Sarcochilus weinthalii) looks fairly unremarkable when it’s not flowering, generally resembling the far more common orange blossom orchid. But when it flowers, it is exquisite. Dark purple blotches stand out ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Cropper, Senior Lecturer, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne Almost every person throughout the existence of humankind has looked up at the night sky and seen more than just a random scattering of light. Constellations of stars have helped ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Desbrow, Associate Professor, Nutrition and Dietetics, Griffith University A recent study published in the journal Depression and Anxiety has attracted widespread media attention. Media reports said eating chocolate, in particular, dark chocolate, was linked to reduced symptoms of depression. Unfortunately, we ...
He’s the artist who launched a million memes and over a billion streams. Sam Brooks picks out Bazzi’s best moments so far, from his career-making breakthrough to his mature new mixtape Soulsearching.1. ‘Mine’“You’re so fuckin’ precious when you smile.”It’s the line that didn’t just launch a million memes, it’s the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Crosby, Professor, Monash University Since President Trump tweeted about imposing new tariffs on China, global equity markets have gone into a tailspin. Trump’s more recent announcement that the new tariffs would be delayed has not calmed the markets, with recent days ...
A new poem by Waikato poet Loren Thomas.to convince myself we’re dreamingwe were walking through suburbia houses kissing front lawns copied one after anotheryou tasted like mint leaves and chlorophyll that’s been pissed on by catsI held your hand and we walked towards the ocean dodging planks from dead train ...
The ancient Australian shock-jock yesterday targeted Jacinda Ardern, urging Australia’s PM to ‘shove a sock down her throat’. It’s all in keeping with a substantial history of being an arse.The plucky nation of Australia excels in a range of endeavours, but nowhere more than the angry, anguished howls of bloated, ...
Today, TVNZ released its latest findings on who is watching what on TVNZ OnDemand. Sam Brooks analyses the results.Today, TVNZ released the 2019 figures for who is watching TVNZ OnDemand, what they’re watching and in what kind of numbers. The big numbers are hopeful – over 1.4 million people reached ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jock Collins, Professor of Social Economics, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney The federal government wants to boost the number of migrants moving to regional areas in Australia to fill job vacancies and reduce the pressure on our cities. That’s why ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Associate Professor, Criminology and Justice Studies, RMIT University There can be no doubt violence against women is a national crisis. On average in Australia, one woman every week is killed. A 2016 survey found one in four women experienced violence ...
One dignified resignation was a bouquet in a sea of brickbats this week as low levels of accountability had eyes rolling. James Elliott has the news of the week. ...
Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein on the band’s ninth studio album, working with St Vincent, and the departure of bandmate and drummer, Janet Weiss.It’s been almost five years since Sleater-Kinney broke their decade-long hiatus with an album that received almost near-universal praise. It was “raw”, “bristling”, “emotive”, “taut” – all adjectives you’d ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Colleen Murrell, Associate Professor, Journalism, Swinburne University of Technology When news of the stabbings in Sydney on Tuesday afternoon came through, one of the first tweets about the incident came from Sky News reporter Laura Jayes. Immediately it got retweeted and sent ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Normal People by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber, $23)Sally Rooney Sally Rooney Sally Rooney Sally Rooney2 An ...
When Emily Writes reviewed a life-changing sex toy, the response from orgasm-starved women was huge. So why are so many having so few orgasms, and what can be done?For the last two years I’ve been running a pretty small – about 600-odd member – group for mostly New Zealand women ...
When Josie Adams broke her laptop last week, she knew she’d never find love like that again. Can the Asus Chromebook Flip C213SA offer a new kind of technological relationship? She reviews how it stands up to everyday use and the cosmic forces that seek to destroy her.Last Thursday I ...
Wine should be fun, not intimidating, all you need is a little knowledge. Yvonne Lorkin co-founder and chief tasting officer of WineFriend provides some simple tips to help you empower your palate. Even I can get scared by wine. I’m usually super-meek and a tad feeble at high-brow, ‘industry’ wine tastings. ...
Pacific Media Watch NewsdeskBy Makereta Komai in Funafuti, Tuvalu Tonga’s Prime Minister, ‘Akilisi Pohiva, has delivered a stinging attack against regionalism and the Pacific Islands Forum’s stance of leaving no one behind, for failing to amicably resolve the issue of West Papua. Pohiva admitted the issue has divided ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Corrections, Christchurch mosque shootings Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Upholding The Accused’s Right To Write Mark Daalder ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amber Marshall, Research fellow, Queensland University of Technology Farming families and communities in Queensland’s remote north are being left behind by the digital economy, putting them at significant social and economic disadvantage. Our report, launched in Cairns today, details the impacts of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Cameron, Associate professor, and Associate Director of the Global Obesity Centre, Deakin University Half-price chips, “two for one” chocolates, “buy one get one free” soft drinks: Australian supermarkets make it very easy for us to fill our trolleys with junk food. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Trethowan, Director, IA Watson Research Centre, Narrabri Plant Breeding Institute, University of Sydney A UN report released last week found a quarter of the world’s carbon emissions come from the food chain, particularly meat farming. This has prompted calls to sharply ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sasha Petrova, Section Editor: Education Whether schools should mandate a uniform is a controversial issue. Some believe wearing the same clothes smooths out inequality. Others see uniforms as authoritarian; believing them a symbol of repression, stifling freedom of thought and individuality. We ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dennis Altman, Professorial Fellow in Human Security, La Trobe University The years between the gay liberation movement at the beginning of the 1970s and the onset of AIDS a decade later are viewed in a certain strand of gay nostalgia as “the ...
As the election looms closer, Jo Moir looks at how the three parties in the coalition government will use their differences to a political advantage. ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Winter grazing in the spotlight, teens smoking much less weed than they used to, and stats show big acceleration in Auckland house building.To lead us off today, a look at a relatively long running farming issue which has burst into ...
Aussie aussie aussie … 
You cannot expect to pound communities into the ground day after day, year after year, decade after decade and just expect them to take it lying down. There’s a point at which the place will explode. And we’re faced with some very big ructions on both sides of the Atlantic ...1 day ago
Back in May, Destiny Church leaders Brian and Hannah Tamaki launched another political party. Despite consisting entirely of followers of their religion, they grandly called it "Coalition New Zealand", in a vain effort to suggest it was something broader. But when they applied for registration, submitters opposed the name, as ...2 days ago
The following article is excerpted and translated from two articles in recent issues of Lutte de Classe (Class Struggle), the magazine of Lutte Ouvrière (Workers Struggle), the revolutionary workers group active in France. We don’t necessarily agree with everything in it – for instance, the 1956-62 war for independence involved rather more revolutionary forces than ...2 days ago
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Going Down? Once truth and propaganda become fused in the minds of one’s followers, debate and discussion become redundant. If one’s opponents are all outrageous liars, then engaging with them in any way is pointless. Rather than waste its time, a political party should, instead, target all its messages at ...2 days ago
This section builds on Part 1 of this series to provide a theoretical basis for the final instalment (part 3 – to come). Self-determination: law or resurgence — or both? International law promotes the principal of equal treatment and self-determination, which includes peoples’ rights to freely pursue their social, cultural and ...2 days ago
We need to fundamentally reframe our systems settings to address the drivers causing and underpinning inequality; structural change in systems especially financial. The Equality Network Hui was held in Wellington on 27 June 2019. The hui covered important topics such as child poverty; a living wage; taxation; public health; mental ...3 days ago
The views-per-page for some of my recent postings:Depressing, isn't it? Provide thoughtful and wise commentary on the mainstream of British politics and no-one notices. Make a passing reference to Tommy DICKHEAD Robinson in a thread title and you get hundreds of views. Write something about anti-Semitism and you get another ...3 days ago
The government has announced plans to move the Treaty of Waitangi and other taonga to a new site. Great news! So where are they going? Right next to the old one:The new plan will see a new 22,000-square-metre archive built on the former site of Defence House - the former ...4 days ago
Back in June, StatsNZ went public about a project to track population data on an hourly level by using people's cellphones. It wasn't as bad as it initially looked - they were receiving no individual data, only counts by suburb - but there was still a huge consent problem, so ...4 days ago
Most economists agree that a currently slowing economy could do with some stimulus – and they would also agree that there is no shortage of infrastructure projects which could be brought to productive fruition with help from that stimulus. In view of the current practice of sub-contracting economic policy decisions ...4 days ago
I did an interview on the TVNZ Breakfast Show about the situation in Hong Kong. I tried to frame the issue as a collective action problem between two sides with very different end games. The video is here. Because of time constraints we could not discuss the fact that the ...4 days ago
Image Credit: Wild Rose College A new study reporting the ranges of values for kidney and liver parameters in a healthy population is being actively misrepresented by anti-fluoride campaigners. The Fluoride Action Network’s (FAN) latest ... 4 days ago
Alone, Alone. All, All Alone: Will it be a good or a bad thing, when humanity’s bright blue spacecraft is stricken by the civilisation-destroying problem of Climate Change, that no Huston Control will be standing-by to rescue the crew?“WE HAVE A PROBLEM, HUSTON.” These were the words used by the ...5 days ago
Divided Loyalties: Can the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, be relied upon? That’s what the boys and girls at Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon needed to be reassured about. Because, from the perspective of Washington, it’s looking more and more like Jacinda Ardern and her Labour Party comrades are getting ready ...6 days ago
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I just really want Peter Dutton to lose his seat above all else, whatever the overall outcome. That guy is the most nasty racist, bigoted PoS.
And for no more Pauline Hanson or Fraser Anning, for that matter.
[I have changed your Username because you appeared to be using your real name – Incognito]
Please see my Moderation note.
Oi, oi, oi – go Labor.
The Pollbludger website gets the numbers from the lat poll of some 3000 people
On the primary vote, Labor is steady on 37% and, contrary to Ipsos and Essential Research, the Coalition is down a point to 38%; the Green are steady on 9%; the United Australia Party is steady on 4%; and One Nation is down one to 3%. https://www.pollbludger.net When they trnsfer that to TPP it becomes 51.5-48.5. labour- coalition. Don't ask me how.As while parties give how to vote cards voters don't always follow that. One nation and UAP voters seem to split their preferences say 55-60% coalition and 40-45% to labour
A bizzarre system for a bizarre nation. And why are there so many independents? Is that too a result of their bizarre system?
more a thing of swing voters like in the US? Not wanting to give away party affiliation or not having one?
I mean here in NZ we could argue that anyone not with a party membership is an independent? No?
Exit polling is currently suggesting a Labor win.
Will the last act of Bob Hawke’s life push Labor over the line?
Shades of the 2005 New Zealand election: David Lange died just before it, and Labour narrowly won.
You don't really think that Lange's death had an effect do you? Personally, having seen the Australian result, I think Hawke's death did as much for Labour there as Lange's did for Labour here. In other words zilch.
Have you really forgotten the massive bribe of the interest free student loans? Now that was what saved Labour in 2005.
You're right, no doubt. Lange's death led to a great deal of sentimental reminiscing, but probably had little or no influence on the way people voted.
I would agree with you about the reaction to Lange's death. I was sad that he had died so young, given that he was less than a year older than I was. He was truly a breath of fresh air to New Zealand politics after the dire days of Muldoon, and I voted for his party twice at the time he was leader. However by 2005 he had no place in the Labour ranks.
I just don't think his death had any effect on the 2005 voting, despite what Micky Savage seems to think in his comment just below this. How MS comes to his opinion about my response is beyond me.
How MS comes to his opinion about my response is beyond me.
Don't worry, Alwyn—I think MS is a little down after yesterday's vote.
“You don’t really think that Lange’s death had an effect do you? Personally, having seen the Australian result, I think Hawke’s death did as much for Labour there as Lange’s did for Labour here.”
I don’t think you should hold out your personal response as an example of what much of the population went through.
Very early days (& huge Early Vote which could change things) … but might just be an upset Coalition victory.
Abbott out, but.
This is going to be tight one, but the mad monk is gone.
Buttons looks like he’s back with a 3.8% margin
I’ll be piss if the Lib’s get back in as Ubet had the Libs at 15/1 and my bookie had them at 25/1 with a hang House of Representatives at 50/1 before the SocMo called the election as i didn’t put any money on the muppets as Labour was almost even money.
I wouldn’t trust any exited polls tonight or pre election polls according to Antony Green
Quicker than a rat up a drain pipe and a downed brown one the ozzie election turned into a landslide for the ……….crackle…crackle….pop…splutter……… hissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhh…….poof
There is a 4.2% swing for the Libs in QLD and at this stage Labour is stuff unless they pull the red rabbit out of the hat in WA
Tas and Vic are only about 2.2% to 2.4% swing to Labour
The latest from the Antony Green, he is saying if the Libs don’t lose any seats in WA they will have just sneak over the line and if they don’t they will be in minority government.
Banana-Benders (Qlders) have not been kind to ALP.
What's ALP done to them?
Depressing.
only positive is Abbott is losing to climate change activist
Abbott is irrelevant. He would have probably gone before the next term was up. This is no consolation. The ALP was destroyed tonight. Australians seems to care more about their retirement nest egg than their fellow countrymen. Similar case here.
Australians seems to care more about their retirement nest egg than their fellow countrymen.
Given that their 'fellow countrymen' don't appear to care much about them either, is this not surprising?
I'm not arguing this is a good thing, quite the opposite, environments that are relatively low trust and high threat will reliably induce people to vote conservative.
Old Barnaby give the Labour Party an all might spray, about Labour giving the working class seats the two finger salute in Qld. As the Libs/Nats have picked a number of working class seats.
But in saying that a number of the wealthy electorates the Libs are struggling because of leftist independents and greens have been running a strong campaign in those seats, I’m sort of thinking had Labour not stood any candidates in those seats? Labour might have its nose in front, but Labour haven’t giving some working class seats an up yours in Qld and else where then this election would’ve been a Labour win.
I forgot that big Clive Palmer’s deal over first preferences to the Liberal/ Nats has also killed off a Labour Government especially in Qld.
Barnaby is a fool. Carrying on about 'working class' when his party will gleefully shaft them for the big agriculture and mining interests that bankroll him.
Australia will continue to burn coal and country. Climate change/nah.. pocket change.
Off the ABC: "Many commentators thought this was going to be a big night for Labor but early results are worrying for the party, with Penny Wong acknowledging that Queensland is a problem."
Queensland is a problem? Fact saying that like it's a new thing. Isn't that where Pauline Hanson is from?
Not looking good. Coalition is gaining. 67 to 60 on ABC news. 76 is required to win.
ALP relying on WA (& early vote) has the distinct whiff of clutching at straws.
Will it be a majority or minority Coalition Govt ?
10 mins later … Antony Green confirms that it's now virtually impossible to see how the ALP could win enough seats to form a new Govt.
I wouldn't call it just yet.
Well that sucks.
3 more years I guess.
Now we are going to have the next few weeks listening to talking heads bang on about how to get the votes of reactionary tradies.
This caps off a pretty shit week for me.
Are you calling it?
Yeah. I don't see how Labor can do it now. Only good thing to come out of this is that Shorten and the rest of these empty suits will be cleaned out over the next 3 years and a new generation will come through, who will move away from the Blairite triangulation.
Recriminations are already starting in ALP with some pointing the finger at Shorten. It's funny … just a few days ago I was wondering if the Aussies would end up with an Ed Miliband situation on Election Night … Polls pointing to a Lab victory … but an unpopular leader proving decisive when potential swing-voters to Labor actually entered the booths.
Generally around 10 points behind Scotty in Pref PM Polls … & with big Dissatisfaction numbers.
Whether or not the Shorten factor proved absolutely decisive … it almost certainly played some part in these pretty dismal results.
There does seem to be parallels with UK15.
The parties of the left cannot seem to be able to oust right wing parties that should very well be oustable
The question you shpuld ask yourself is why can't they.
Still too close to call.
Not a prayer of a labor government.
/aussie-aussie-aussie/#comment-1618333
I’m told there has been a swing against to Warren what’s has name in the NT which has a Labour safe seat the early 80’s. Antony Green has said that it’s impossible for Labour to form Government, so its going to be either majority or minority government for the Libs/ Nat.
The figures from Qld are very similar to old Johnny Howard’s win back in 2004
Sorry I seem I can’t reply to post here via my IPad for some reason. Is there any fix for this problem?
Great day for Au if it goes to plan for Scomo, Likewise no pesky abbott causing mischief in the background Morrison seems a straight up and likeable guy, Short dodgy in person and in past
Yes I think ScoMo won’t be having a knife throwing contest during this term and I wouldn’t be surprised if we could see a possible a term Lib/Nat Government (yuck)
Labour probably should’ve gone for Albo instead of shifty Shorten?
Press seem to think labour lost the oldies ( franking credits) and Howard’s Tradies on Tax and redistribution
Millsy @ 14.1, it’s more of a dig at Labour for sucking up to the big end of the town and giving the working class seats the flick and you now something is wrong when those usually Labour held seats have gone over to the Lib or Nats or independent. I believe if Albo had been the Labour Leader these working class/ Labour seats would’ve been held or gained
Not sure working class how we traditionally see it really exists any more as a unified voting class or that if it does labour really represents it Labour is more upper middle class Champaign socialists and identity politics, likewise anti Christian that does not help with this class if it still exists
Christians seem to have the habit of denying science and telling people who they and cannot have intimate relationships with and what they can do with their bodies. Labour should be damn well anti Christian.
Sure they can ignore a large voting block across many identities and classes Its a very naive and selected view of Christianity you have Millsy focussing on the fundamentalist who are a very small minority Not all Christian’s have a simplistic view of Christianity as a old white gut sitting on a cloud and firing thunder bolts hating gays and adulterers
Christians will purge evolution from schools and take gays out the back and shoot them given half the chance. Look at what has happened in Alabama when you give the god botherers full control of things. Of course you don't mind women being told what they can and cannot do.
Yes dear, Nz and Au are exactly like Alabama, similarly let’s deals in extremes Maybe not extreme socialism does not have a great past in taking out and shooting any one who does not agree with it, nor in controlling women reproductive decisions
Communist countries such as East Germany and Poland had abortion on demand and full access to birth control. Things that can only happen be imposing restrictions on the god botherers.
Have a look at communist China abortion 1 child policy and practice , 2 levels telling you how many you can have and forced abortion if you break the rules Let’s not even get to how they treated those lucky enough to survive the policy, if they felt a problem Ughurs the most recent recent poor souls who need to fit in to the socialist nirvana
Bewildered @ 23.1, it was one of the causes, but I don’t it was a major issue in my books. It think the biggest issue is around the middle class toffs and the workers in Labour seat turning to the Liberal/ Nats? As old shiffy Shorten didn’t seem to to properly explain Labour’s policy on tax, negative gearing, or dividend share tax etc.
Bewildered @ 24.1 I fully agree with your comment that is more a middle class toffs party now than looking after the workers or underprivileged and really don’t give them a toss nowadays
I don't think you are wrong there. There wasn't really much of a policy difference between the ALP and the Coalition.
Sort of agree EKW but not sure the average Aussie worker is that bad off, compared to kiwi low skilled labour etc they are pretty well looked after. This voting block plus tradies etc are no longer traditional labour or exist as a unified voting class The underprivileged are another matter and don’t tend to vote or a relatively small cohort , similarly the so called working class are not big on massive redistribution of their hard earned income or seeing their jobs destroyed by greens or transformation that hits their hip pocket
Old Barrie Cassidy, said yo can’t have an ambitious manifesto now from opposition almost shades of poor old Foot and old Hewson with Keating which was mean to be a Lib election win.
Millsy@ 26.1 Yes Labour has almost a shade of Blair’s New Labour and they wonder why the workers, the underprivileged have given them the two fingers and bugged off to the blue side or green of politics.
My electorate of Lingiari has had a 6.3% swing to the Country Liberal Party against the sitting Labour member which is normally a safe Labour seat, but this seat covers about 90% of the NT so there is a lot of remote polling votes to come in yet and at the moment the young lady J Price from the CLP is currently ahead. Knowing her mum Bess Price and her daughters background, I will say this seat will change hands for the first time since the 80’s when this seat was formed.
I’m going to call the election as a Lib/ Nat with a majority Government with 77 or 78 seats.
The race for the senate is going to be interesting and on that note folks
I’m off to get my evening med’s and head off to bed.
See you tomorrow morning folks
Heading that way.
Unbelievable result. The right certainly know how to win elections. Hopefully the Australian Labor party can rebuild and win back those voters who have clearly abandoned them.
Bill Shorten has conceded from the looks of things, and stepped down as leader.
It's all over. Only one way to go now, that is up.
or further down.
(sigh)
Congratulations to Scott Morrison. The accidental PM has personally pulled off the totally unexpected. He will likely be a decent PM even if the left won't be thrilled with his govt, we could certainly have hoped for a different outcome.
From the moment ScoMo became PM he's juggled a series of disunity crisis' that would have destroyed many others. You have to have some respect for this; managing through tough times competently is an under-rated skill.
Shorten was terribly unlucky, up against Turnbull he would have likely won. I've met him in person and he's impressive enough. But resigning is his only option and the ALP will go through the process of coming to terms with what has happened.
I've no particular sense of why QLD led the swing against them, but the unpalatable truth is that across the entire country the left has lost what should have been an unloseable election. They should have done better everywhere; not dissimilar to how Clinton lost to Trump, only this time without the populist demagogue to blame. Hopefully the ALP will take ownership of this hard truth with quiet dignity and intellectual integrity.
A successful adoption of the GOP tactic of reducing voter enrollment – a win for John Howard. There is no way Queensland would have gone so well for the Coalition if all the Kiwis there had voted.
There is also the white man thing, security in those of their kind continuing to rule – the abuse of women in the Liberal caucus probably won them more votes than it lost.
And the capacity of the boomers to look after themselves is going to be their generational legacy …
There is no way Queensland would have gone so well for the Coalition if all the Kiwis there had voted.
Well in fact many of us Kiwis in Australia are effectively disenfranchised in both countries. We can't vote in Australia and often we can't in NZ either. The rules require that we either:
https://www.elections.org.nz/voters/get-ready-enrol-and-vote/enrol-and-vote-overseas
I'm not sure what fraction of the 600,000 kiwis would be disqualified by this but it would be significant. Plus there are several extra steps involved in making an online or overseas vote. It's not surprising only a tiny fraction of ex-pats finish up actually casting a vote.
Australia has always had a "citizens only" voting qualification, unlike NZ where permanent residents can vote as well.
So I don't think the "Kiwi factor" would have made any difference in the Australian election (in Queensland). Even before the changes in 2001, most Kiwis did not take out Australian citizenship.
And even if Kiwis could vote, many would vote for the Liberals.
Suck it up sun shine and just accept it not every one agrees with your world view Democracy is the winner on the day Whining and throwing out stock lefty excuses is sad The Sun came up this morning ( just a little brighter) 😊
ALP and Liberals aren't that different, unfortunately. Both owned by the fossil fuel lobby and both powerfully neoliberal.
Woke up to hear if the exciting victory and the labour leader quitting.
Good start to the day so far.
Happy with this result.
Gloating is ugly James. The only purpose for making that comment was to inflict a bit more pain on people who you know will already be disappointed and therefore vulnerable.
It speaks poorly to your character. Mate.
Perhaps you might want to read the thread when Jacinda became PM.
and to say people are venerable because if this is atypical snowflake bullshit.
Labour lost – big deal. You congratulate the winners and hope they do the best job possible.
You can't have it both ways James; you can't deplore the 'thread when Jacinda became PM' and then go and do it yourself.
You congratulate the winners and hope they do the best job possible.
Which is what I did above and precisely not what you did.
you are a little thick this morning.
If you read the thread when Jacinda became pm – it is exactly what I did.
However the gloating from people on here was immense.
My my comment wasn’t gloating – I’m genuinely happy that “my team” won – I think Australia will be a lot better for it.
Sorry I can’t join the pity party some on here are having.
Bullshit.
nooe – it’s true. I really am very happy about the result.
The taliban are well organised.
Immediately blaming others for their own failure. Also speaks poorly to character.
Being despondent that the electorate plainly gives no fucks about the environment and that religious extremists will likely end up running the shop isn't blaming others.
Yes it is. The Libs had gone through a catastrophic leadership knife fight, the ALP was leading all the polls, the tide of opinion on climate change is turning, the issue of illegal immigration has cooled dramatically, even the media wasn't all bad as usual … all the big cards were stacked in their favour. Yet still they couldn't win. They have to look to themselves long and hard as to why.
Blaming 'racist/fanatic fuckheads in the electorate' is the hallmark of losers.
A woman voicing her fears about the influence of religious extremists is a loser. Nice.
Expressing 'fears' without any attempt at justifying them is otherwise known as whining. (And this being a gender non-specific activity.)
Blaming 'racist/fanatic fuckheads in the electorate' is the hallmark of losers.
Going too far there Redlogix.
My initial reaction when hearing the news this morning was:
"well that's it. Trump America has arrived in Australia."
Actually it was always there but now they are out in the open. And that is the darned truth. It's not blaming others.
When the towns and cities start going up in flames and they hop in their little boats and row across the Tasman, we'll turn them away like they turn other desperate folks away now. That'll learn them.
S'alright James and co. I don't really mean it. I don't think. 😳
Actually it was always there but now they are out in the open.
There may well be some element truth to of that, but to imply that every Australian who voted Lib yesterday is a racist fuckhead modeled on Trump's America … is still avoiding the truth. It's the same game the Democrats have played pointing the finger at the 'deplorables' instead of doing the honest work to understand why they're unelectable.
I did not take that meaning from Joe 90's comment because I thought the same albeit in a less orally provocative way.
The "racist fuckheads" voted for the Libs 'in toto' otherwise the result would have been different. Doesn't mean all the Lib voters fall into this category and Joe 90 wasn't suggesting as much.
I haven't checked the figures this morning. but it looked like Queensland was the big spoiler last night and that is not surprising. The state has a reputation for having a very large contingent of "racist fuckheads" going back many decades.
The state has a reputation for having a very large contingent of "racist fuckheads" going back many decades.
Yes while they are more conservative (and this has geographic parallels with the USA) it's really not dramatically different; it's the usual mix just a little more tilted.
This idea that Australia is full of six fingered rednecks is just a Kiwi conceit.
An interesting point that speaks to an underlying problem we have with democracy:
https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/federal-election-2019-labor-defeat-is-humiliating/news-story/4cadec03271d70e14280e2846255ced4
It's arguable Ardern only just squeaked into power here in NZ because she didn't have enough time to articulate a detailed vision, and part of her on-going success is that she's preferred the pragmatic over idealistic.
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It's arguable Ardern only just squeaked into power here in NZ because she didn't have enough time to articulate a detailed vision,
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it wasn’t her lack of vision – it was how much she was willing to give Winston to buy power with our money. That squeaked her into power.
Ardern did remarkably better in the election than would have been expected months earlier. If she hadn't pulled Labour up in to the high 30's Winston would have been irrelevant.
What Ardern and Morrison have in common, along with the likes of Trump, was a lack of incumbency, a lack of detailed political track record on which they could be attacked.
What a tragedy for Australia.
what is it with some of you lefties and your hatred of democracy?
The people voted and selected their leader. The majority got what they asked for.
Thats a good result – not a tragedy.
It's great having one proud Australian on here today.
Two.
It is a triumph for Australia. The people have chosen a pro growth path that should sustain for the next two decades. Lip service will be paid to the Paris Agreement, preceeding a withdrawal in 2025.
Have you taken a break from yelling at the pub-goers next door?
We need to talk about the remaining left who are in power in the world.
It's shrinking very, very fast.
Indeed. Only this time the left really has nowhere else to place the blame. Morrison came back from political death, ran an effective political campaign and has won decisively. The left got outplayed … again.
If we want to change the outcomes we can only change ourselves. Whining that the other guys are nasty people, that they cheat, they treat us mean and don't recognise our intellectual and moral superiority, is just that … whining.
Here is my starting point. The conversation needs to understand what politics is really for and how we can play a more effective role in it. Hint, it isn't about 'winning and losing':
The paradox of running an effective political campaign versus effectively running a country. The campaign is the glossy add, full of appealing promises. The term in Government is the product. Voters are the consumers that are lured by ads making the assumption that the better the ad, the better the product. It is much easier to improve the ad than the product; once the sale is done, the money is in. People tend to by brands they know and trust.
And may this excellent trend continue Hard lefties are really deplorable as comments by Ann, SPC and Joe 90 detest I am always surprised why they are surprised when their know all, superiority complex sees their favourites who hold similar world views are crushed at the ballot box
Citing a woman who fears the prospect of religious extremists holding power makes one a deplorable hard leftie. Really?
The conflation by pulling these extreme comments with liberal election win to demean liberal voters Joe is the issue and I suggest you know it Not to mention using this crazy womens comments as your shield is deplorable but a common tactic of the left
The Australian liberals are heading down the same path as the GOP. Goldwater warned about the preachers getting control of the [Republican] party and the past while has shown him to be correct.
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/the-religious-minority-seizing-power-in-the-liberal-party-20180601-p4ziyq.html
http://theconversation.com/as-australia-becomes-less-religious-our-parliament-becomes-more-so-80456
Just because they say it Joe it don’t make it so Re US good chance democrats pick up the next election if they can get their loony left rump under control The centre left or right do not like the extremes
It would appear one word decided the Aussie election.
Tax
Yes. The Libs. ran a false smear campaign on Federal Taxes in the same way the Nats ran the campaign on CGT. We've got a name for it – Dirty Politics. Others call is Fake News.
There may have been misrepresentation but there was also 'incentive'….it seems that less tax remains a vote winner, and once 'less tax' is in place it is almost impossible to reverse…a fundamental difficulty for any 'left' party…and fertile ground for libertarians.
https://www.smh.com.au/federal-election-2019/what-the-morrison-government-promised-to-do-next-20190518-p51ore.html
The flip side when a new tax is introduced it is very hard to remove so it’s not really difficult to understand why people from all persuasions don’t like more tax If labour have just worked this out they really do live in La la land
On the contrary, removing taxes if the easiest thing in the political realm, as you yourself note tax is broadly unpopular, the difficulty is the likely necessity to remove services to compensate for the lost revenue…that appears to be more politicly palatable, especially if those services are not likely to be accessed by your constituency
Getting rid of tax burden and replacing it with another tax is not getting rid of tax burden overall but moving the deck chairs Proposing new taxes and increasing overall tax burden and believing that will not be popular is a “know shit Sherlock moment” If labour Have just realised this more fool them
you really do seem to be struggling with this…..
"Getting rid of tax burden and replacing it with another tax is not getting rid of tax burden overall but moving the deck chairs Proposing new taxes and increasing overall tax burden and believing that will not be popular"
are you sure you wouldnt like to edit that?
Others call it Politics, not that labour is not prone to a healthy amount of bs and smearing If you can’t handle the heat get out of the kitchen This was labour’s election to lose, they did in a grandiose way
Pat @42. Blaming National for this governments inability to implement a CGT is a disgrace, Labour in particular have no one to blame but themselves. Ardern and co threw in the towel before they even got off the stool. They let National control the narrative because they refused to go in and fight for what's right. That's on us, accept it.
An honest man that mickeyboyle Taking ownership where ownership lies
Pardon?….you would appear somewhat confused
How so is MickeyB confuse there Pat, Please enlighten, facts please
Must be contagious….read my post @42 and it should be abundantly clear.
will do
see post 42.111
really Pat your comment at 42 is a know shit Sherlock moment My comments on MickeyB stands
Meh…you would appear to be a lost argument looking for somewhere to land…and your comment to Mickey Boyle is of no relevance to my response to his confusion
Come on, Pat! We all know that Jacinda Ardern campaigned hard for CGT in Oz. She even sent over Sir Michael but National got wind of it and sent Simon to neutralise Sir Mike. It paid off, didn’t it? The Mad Monk is gone. This is the sole reason why JC will be the next leader of National. Please keep up!
Your ducking for cover Pat Mickey highlighted as with Ardern and Nz labour needed to own Cgt shambles LABOUR Au need to own this election loss , you seem to be arguing that they where blindsided by the people response to their tax policy and the libs exploiting this As Mickey indicates they need to own this if they where to dumb to understand that this is what they would be judged and attacked on, well as I said more full then In reality I think it was way more than tax
lol…a lot of projection going on there B.
There is no need to duck for cover as I have made a brief judgement on that which swung the Aussie election, is it the sole reason?undoubtably not but I suggest it is a key reason for although they lost badly in Queensland (apparently) their support in the largest states failed to counter that…two states with falling property values I may add.
As to ownership i made no judgement though that should be obvious in a democracy
Apologies that was my fault for the confusion. I was actually referring to Pat's comment at 42.1.1. And Arderns and Labours inability to even put up an ounce of fight for a policy they say they believe in. Less tax is currently only a vote winner because our side refuses to convey what effects a CGT etc would have on the average kiwi. We seem reluctant to fight for our policies, which leads to plenty of poll watching without much real action. Year of delivery, transformational, it all means nothing if you are not prepared to state your case and fight for it. Sorry but for some reason when I press reply I cannot type anything in the comment box?
Again Im not sure why you are taking umbrage as my comment at 42.1.1 makes no reference to CGT, National, Ardern or even NZ…it is a general observation about the implications of tax policy on parties with a public ownership model, or 'the left".
This is what you wrote, "it seems that less tax remains a vote winner, and once 'less tax' is in place it is almost impossible to reverse". That's all I'm arguing against. Less tax is only currently a vote winner because those on our side who are currently in power and whom believe in paying more to support our vulnerable or deliver better social policies, refuse to fight and counter the false narrative that we allow our opponents to foster. I have no doubt that Ardern and co could've got a CGT across the line, my point is that they didnt even try. Less tax is only a vote winner because voters do not see how an alternative would benefit themselves and society.
now compare your statement here @ 44.1 with this
"Blaming National for this governments inability to implement a CGT is a disgrace, Labour in particular have no one to blame but themselves. Ardern and co threw in the towel before they even got off the stool. They let National control the narrative because they refused to go in and fight for what's right. That's on us, accept it."
and wheres the blame and lack of acceptance?….it certainly isnt in 42 or 42.1
You must have been an opening batsman Pat or a boxer. Your weaving and bobbing is impressive 😀
One too many drinks last night, me thinks. Pat was as clear as succinct @ 42.