Written By:
Steve Pierson - Date published:
10:27 am, October 7th, 2008 - 22 comments
Categories: flip-flop, housing, john key, slippery -
Tags:
At the first Helensville candidates’ debate last night, John Key reversed his position on state housing once again.
Despite using the years he lived in a state house as “a great marketing ploy”, Key called the plan to build state houses along with more up-market homes on the site of Hobsonville airbase “economic vandalism”. Then he flip-flopped on that saying he supported the Government’s plans for Hobsonville. Last night, he reportedly flip-flopped again, saying that there would be no state housing at Hobsonville under National.
Once again, it seems he’ll say whatever his audience wants to hear.
With further economic turmoil coming, state housing is needed as much as ever. Building more houses will help charge the economy. Key wants mansions to be built, rather than state houses. But there won’t be the demand for such houses whereas there will be more unemployed families who can’t afford private rents. A Hobsonville with some state housing will do much more good in coming years than Key’s elitist plan.
I don’t know if such weighty considerations enter Key’s thinking, however. I think he just wants more votes.
[My friends were unable to make a recording of the debate but the Herald was there, so they’ll report the details. It’s also worth remembering that Key wasn’t the only MP to grow up in a State house – in 1940s working class London, Cullen’s family could only dream of such quality of housing]The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...
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This will be news to the ears of Darien Fenton. I wonder how much she will win the electorate seat by? If i was John Key i would be seriously worried about losing to her in a landslide
At today’s rate a state house will be a mansion …. maybe he’s just farsighted (yeah right)
Listening to Cullen speaking calmly and with great insight and understanding about the economy on Morning Report this morning basically did it for me – no theatrics, no “the sky is falling” – I know who I want running the show
rjs, Fenton will not get more than 30%. Of course Key wants more votes, who doesn’t? That is why Cullen is trying to be calm, inside he will not be, if he is then he does not know what type of mess we are in. Cullen is in dreamland, the opening of the books is quite optimistic to what will possibley happen. Things from the financial side of things changed so much in the past week.
There is more to housing than state houses or mansions.
There is enough state housing that is not used. It is about time that people who need housing assistance live where they are told and stop being fussy, which does occur.
Also, 1940s London was all about dodging the bombs and later V1/2s. All people were thinking of survivng was the blitz, not what sort of house they lived in.
I am of the opinion that we need to cut the Wellington beauracy by 20%, pass the workload onto other people, that is what private business does. Also, people who live off the state should take a benefit freeze for the next 12 months. Keep the tax cuts though to help stimulate the economy.
John Stevens. I can’t be bothered going through that rubbish line by line but this sums it up “Also, 1940s London was all about dodging the bombs and later V1/2s. All people were thinking of survivng was the blitz, not what sort of house they lived in.”
Cullen was born in February 1945… bit too young to be concerned with the V2s (which stopped in March, V1s stopped in 1944). And in his own words they were well aware of the conditions in which they lived.. I think Cullen might have a better idea of social and housing issues in England during his childhood than you.
rjs, “Fenton will not get more than 30%. Of course Key wants more votes”
Probably explains why Key dosn’t want state housing and a shitload of more Labour voters in his electorate. (slippery, sly barstard)
Youve unwittingly given away the real reason lol
SP – point taken on London.
I live in JKs area. The vast majority of people do not want state housing there. When the Hobbsonville development was debated there 2 years ago about 95% of the people who came along to that meeting were against it. There is nothing wrong with that. We chose to live in a high income, low crime area where the vast majority of people are white middle class. We do not want the South Auckland gangs and crime here.
Dont forget the ‘lifesyle’ property Key bought in Peak Rd Waimakau, so it would look like he had a connection with the electorate he was aiming to unseat a sitting MP ( technically it was a new electorate but covered most of the previous electorate).
All the while Key was putting his residential address as in Orakei Rd or Remuera Rd, then when time came to enrol as a Voter he signed a statuary declaration that he had lived at peak Rd ‘for the previous month’.
Maybe like the rail share dealing more hard evidence will come to bite him in the days before the election.
John Stevens – “We do not want the plebs here.” There fixed it for you.
J Stevens wouldnt know a modern state house even if JK was living there.
Apart from not having ensuite bathrooms and walkin wardrobes the outside appearance is just like those in ‘white middle class’ areas.
Key seems to want to pander to the racism inherent in J Stevens comments
GGW – not racist at all. Just because I would prefer to live with my own people (white, middle class) does not make me racist, that is MY preference. I have some friends and a relative who are islanders and I get on well with them, one plays professional rugby in France. They don’t give a hoot where I live.
Just like the islanders don’t want to live next door to Maoris in some areas.
Lefties think it is racist to prefer your own, this is just pure PC nonsence. The white apologist brigade.
john. you’re a racist.
Oh no, the “some of my best friends are maaaaaaaaoris” defence.
John, what non-racist reason do you have to prefer your own?
(genuine question.)
“Just like the islanders don’t want to live next door to Maoris in some areas.”
Umm yes, those people would be racist too John. Just like you.
edit: of course I mean those people as in “the people referred to”, not as in those people.
Because I like the old fashioned western way of life, I am not into celebrating other religions, culture that much. The good old rugby, racing and beer philosphy. Other groups of people do the same in NZ, muslims, chinese, indians. They probably feel more comfortable that way, just like I do in my environment.
Bill B – I was offering no defense, I was stating fact. If you want to know my relative plays for Tonga & Perpinon (where Dan Carter is playing).
SP – your entitled to your opinion, but it is wrong. You are a communist, they were real racist during Stalin’s reign. Ask the Ukranian, christians and Jews.
[I’m not a communist. And you’re performing a clascic logical fallacy (some As are B, X is A, therefore X is B). Even if I were a communist, the fact that some communists have been racists would not make me a racist. You, on the other hand, are a racist by your own words. SP]
[lprent: The ghost of john foster dulles has arisen from the 1950’s and now goes by the name of John Stevens. I haven’t met a communist in decades. On the other hand I have met many stupid bigots with the brains that a sheep would look down on with disgust.]
What you said John is if you live in a state house you must be a criminal. Where does that leave John Key?
Who’s defending Stalin here? No one. Why you would bring it up I don’t know.
John it’s not just stating fact to say in response to an accusation of racism:
“I have some friends and a relative who are islanders and I get on well with them, one plays professional rugby in France. They don’t give a hoot where I live.”
You’re trying to suggest that because a particular person of another race doesn’t find your racism offensive then no-one else is justified in doing so.
You racist.
Have we got our very own redbaiter?
John, is there really any such thing as racism?
Oh, I am so hurt by your accusations……..call me racist, it does not worry me.
It is good to know that Labour are cuddling up with that known racist and proven liar Winston Peters.
He is the lowest of the low, he even used his mothers death as a vehicle to lie to the nation in July about his knowledge of Owen Glenn’s donation. I want sympathy, sob, sob.
I am but a humble racist only.
Jonh. It’s disgusting to attack Peters over his mothers’ death.
Peters is a xenophobe, not a racist. Peter Brown seems more like a racist in your mould. I have consistantly opposed racist or xenophobic position from NZF and I’m sure the rest of the lefties (and most of the righties) have too.
John Stevens has successfully derailed the point. If he wants to be a racist let him.
When you hear the variable positions that John Key takes according to what the audience wants to hear there must be serious questions about his credibility. Maybe this is why the National spokesmen are not willing or able to speak on their area of expertise. Remember Keys “I will do whatever it takes.” Hence Hobsonville or Sharples in the last day or so!
[lprent: Please do not cut and paste here. This is a almost word for word repeat of a comment by yourself in the last few days. If I see plagarising yourself again I’ll terminate with extreme annoyance. Maybe I should google it – what is the bet that you’re ripping it off from elsewhere]
SP, cry me a river re Peter’s
Peter’s used the death of his mother looking for symphathy. That is why he said that his lawyer told him that day that Owen Glenn donated the $100K.He brought this out looking for symphathy, but he was clearly lying and he knew that.
That makes him the lowest of the low. Using the death of his mother to cover his lying arse. Do you think he would have said that on that day if his mother was still alive.
Since I am a racist, I may as well say the old addage with Winney in mind, Never trust a Maori in a suit. Holds true to Peter’s anyway. Usually they are the defendant as Winston was at the privilages committee.