Know when to fold ’em

Written By: - Date published: 7:29 am, June 19th, 2012 - 8 comments
Categories: david parker, david shearer, Economy, Europe, exports, john key, monetary policy, Privatisation - Tags:

Key’s ditched  the surplus target that was so important –  yet another casualty on the way to the brighter future. The Queen may have asked him why he didn’t see European contagion coming. More likely he is following George Osborne who has ditched “austerity for growth” with a panicked call for the banks to lend.

I think Shearer is right – this is just another excuse for a government that has no policy for growth – just a 120-item shopping list of stuff that has already been done or will make no real difference. No way to deal with a credit crunch.

As Shearer said at the weekend at  Labour’s regional conference, Labour does have a plan for growth that will address the issues that matter and take the bold decision necessary for the future. David Parker’s been onto it as well:

New Zealand urgently needs to modernise our economy, with pro-growth tax reform, more savings to reduce ballooning overseas liabilities, more support for exporters and jobs, and tough decisions to deal with looming fiscal pressures.

“But all the Government is doing is selling assets. Changing who owns what already exists does nothing to improve our economy or exports.

“The fact that selling our power companies is the most significant part of this Government’s plan for the economy shows just how inadequate its plan for the economy is,” said David Parker.

I’d like to hear a lot more about that.

8 comments on “Know when to fold ’em ”

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  1. Bored 1
    19 June 2012 at 9:35 am

    Fekk I am bored with having to say this….and Labour is as deaf and retarded in their thinking as anybody. Shearer says New Zealand urgently needs to modernise our economy, with pro-growth….shouting “growth” at everything demonstrates the stupidity of the thinking behind Shearer and his team.

    “Growth” may be a mantra for getting elected, it is not however a deliverable even medium term. We may get spurts but the trend is down, and none of these idiots is applying any thought to how it will be managed.

    • Draco T Bastard 1.1
      19 June 2012 at 7:05 pm

      shouting “growth” at everything demonstrates the stupidity of the thinking behind Shearer and his team.

      QFT

      Getting sick of hearing myself. It’s a saying from someone who obviously doesn’t know what an economy is, doesn’t understand that growth is unsustainable and doesn’t understand that we already over-produce.

  2. ianmac 2
    19 June 2012 at 10:22 am

    Karl du Fresn says it all in one short sentence.

    It has long been apparent that this Government has no compelling philosophical vision. Now it’s becoming obvious it is a poor strategist and political manager too.

    Helen and her team had a philosophical base which made it relatively easy to decide directions whereas Key…..?
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/karl-du-fresne/7127612/Does-Sunny-John-plan-to-stick-around

    • Draco T Bastard 2.1
      19 June 2012 at 7:20 pm

      The first part of that article seems to nothing more than a whinge about the dictators not having control any more. Then it goes off in seemingly random waffles.

  3. John M 3
    19 June 2012 at 10:24 am

    Key says “growth” a hundred times more than anybody else. On top of this every other word Key utters is just as meaningless. Fekk! He’s in a league of his own!

  4. Olwyn 4
    19 June 2012 at 10:54 am

    “New Zealand urgently needs to modernise our economy, with pro-growth tax reform, more savings to reduce ballooning overseas liabilities, more support for exporters and jobs, and tough decisions to deal with looming fiscal pressures.”

    This is not a lot different from what National says, minus asset sales. It gives no clue as to what these generalisations and abstractions might amount to in concrete terms, and sounds very much like Labour trying to out-National National, with a couple of variations whose popularity is undeniable. However, failing a successful petition, the assets will be sold by next election and the “point-of-difference” lost. Look at PASOK, guys! Look at Queensland, for God’s sake! Where in the world are people crying out for a right wing government in left wing drag?

    • Murray Olsen 4.1
      19 June 2012 at 4:46 pm

      Dead right. I see very little difference between Nactional and Labour, with anyone who raises any issues in a non TINA way being stomped on. Given this, why vote for the monkey when you can have the organ grinder?

  5. bbfloyd 5
    19 June 2012 at 2:00 pm

    It pays never to forget that traditionally, national pm’s and ministers have been allowed to spout all sorts of “sensible” statements when it is obvious to any who choose to actually look , the discrepancy between the words, and the reality of their actions…..

    Can anyone remember when that kind of leeway was given to politicians of any other parties, unless they were aligned with the tories?

    I don’t think comparing hypocrisy with what are statements denoting real policies designed to do just that is going to achieve except reinforcing the memes that have interfered with proper political discourse for as long as i have been aware of politics…… and if my parents, and grandparents generation is to be believed, as long as they have as well….