English on poverty – hasn’t read his own PREFU

Written By: - Date published: 9:48 am, August 24th, 2017 - 14 comments
Categories: bill english, national, poverty - Tags: , , , ,

After nine long years the election is forcing National to acknowledge the poverty in NZ. Bill English didn’t have any ideas on raisng incomes – but is promising to throw money at what Nats think are good ideas – bootcamps and “social investment” (targeting welfare).

The clip ends with English saying claiming that the strong economy and surpluses mean that “Whatever its going to take we can probably afford it”. He hasn’t read his own PREFU – Minimal extra cash for politicians’ promises in Treasury update

14 comments on “English on poverty – hasn’t read his own PREFU ”

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  1. mac1 1
    24 August 2017 at 10:17 am

    The Nats and some media have been going at Labour for promises which are not yet spelled out in detail.

    I hope that they can accept having the same criticism directed back at National when Bill English uses modifiers like “probably” to excuse any backdown from his statements.

    “Whatever it’s going to take we can probably afford it” said Bill English.

    That is not a definite commitment. It is a wishful statement that I would argue is not actually meant, as nine years of not enough action is proof to the contrary.

    • dukeofurl 1.1
      24 August 2017 at 10:29 am

      Thats his recent media training ‘boot camp’ in Auckland having its effect

      Laugh/smile.. make that big smile more, throw some aspirational/hopefull words around ( but not ‘yes we can’)

      • tracey 1.1.1
        24 August 2017 at 11:27 am

        Yup… same camp Key was groomed in. Nats will be be waiting on their polls cos they have only one tactic… groom leader to robot … use 3rd parties to attack opponents and spend big on polished PR/Branding to paper over they are the same party they have been since 1990.

        Blowtorch not yet being shone on them. It is like the media have gone from cheerleaders to silent. Not able to bring themselves to truly criticise.

        If this were Labour they would be baying for English to resign… think back to cunliffe and little. You can argue this is pro Ardern or response to wooden Bill and his one trick pony of stable/surplis… and his surplus has shrunk but again no harsh critique.

    • patricia bremner 1.2
      24 August 2017 at 10:31 am

      Bill’s “Probably” is the same as Jk’s ” acshally”

  2. Bearded Git 2
    24 August 2017 at 10:35 am

    It may just be me, but English seems to be getting progressively more incoherent, unenthusiastic and just plain boring over the last few weeks.

    Maybe it is because he now has more media spotlight on him so often-Key took most of the flak in the past and we only had glimpses of Bill. My guess is that Curia’s hidden polling had Jacinda ahead of him as preferred PM.

    • tracey 2.1
      24 August 2017 at 11:29 am

      I think he is who he always was… we just hear him more. Key still stuffed up off the cuff after 9 years of training which is why we often didnt hear from him on breaking stuff for 24 hours. Training and the polling to tell him what to think.

      • dukeofurl 2.1.1
        24 August 2017 at 12:19 pm

        very good point…. he would deflect till Curia told him which way the wind was blowing
        It was for good reasons Farrar was on ‘speed dial’.

    • tc 2.2
      24 August 2017 at 12:09 pm

      Bills been here before in 2002, a result so bad the hollowmen marched into national and made wholesale changes to grab power back.

      Blinglish knows hes screwed, JK did a runner as he dislikes losing whilst the msm continue to show how partisan and owned they are, especially weldon and christies reshaped mediawonks

      I’d like to see the opposition bury national with the facts on their gutting and wrecking of health, education, housing etc. Go for the jugular time to expose their bs.

  3. UncookedSelachimorpha 3
    24 August 2017 at 12:13 pm

    The only small problem in this area that National has – is that they don’t give a rat’s arse or a flying fuck about poverty in NZ.

  4. Philj 4
    24 August 2017 at 12:53 pm

    English is thinking of the future and contemplating sitting in opposition. Possum, headlights…. Bill, work it out, you are losing traction. Follow Sir John’s example.

    • Eco maori 4.1
      25 August 2017 at 6:04 am

      They say that we are 10 year’s behind American.
      Well I hope we stay right away from there government system. You are poor in American even if you have a million in assets .
      If you get sick over there you have to pretty much sell the house .Is that the type of government system we want to aspire to.
      Well not me We need the smaller party’s to have a good 15 percent each or the illusionist will still be taking advice or have if forced on them.
      We have to be like our Scandinavian cousin’s and Don’t let these larger power full country’s impose there corrupt government systems on us so vote Green or Tops and Don’t worry Labour will roll National out but the Greens need to keep Labour on there toes or they will forget the poor and oppressed people’s needs

      I think my writing has improved quite well.

  5. Eco maori 5
    25 August 2017 at 6:34 am

    O I forgot to tell the story I heard on the Rock radio station .
    It was about this young girl who listen to the Rock she’s from the land of the free American.
    YEA RIGHT.
    She fell down smacked her head on something and broke a tooth by the time she got insurance which took 5 years this girl had to have all her teeth pulled an buy her own false teeth .
    Now come on do we want that system for our grandchildren hell No so vote Green
    And have a new government that’ looks after everyone ones needs.

  6. Nic the NZer 6
    25 August 2017 at 7:37 am

    The stance taken by virtually all discussion here is nonsense. The question about addressing NZs poverty problem is 1) Does NZ have the real resources capacity to address the poverty (and it clearly does). The NZ government is a currency issuer (via the reserve bank) and can therefore afford to buy every resource available in NZ dollers whether its books are in surplus or deficit (including the labour of the un and under employed, many in poverty). This would go a long way towards eliminating poverty in NZ.