Open mike 11/09/2023

30 comments on “Open mike 11/09/2023 ”

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1. Mike the Lefty 1

   11 September 2023 at 7:04 am

   As the election campaign rolls out it strikes me that Labour is now doing or promising the kind of things that many Kiwis have been asking them to do for the last several years.

   Free dental care, removing GST from (some) food, more police, cracking down on gangs and ramraiders.

   Nothing wrong with that EXCEPT that in every case someone else thought of it and promised it long before.

   Labour is playing political catchup, and it makes them look like a government in panic mode, sensing that everything is lost and trying desperately to cling to power by populism on the hoof. The NACTs, NZ First or The Greens come up with a policy and hey presto Labour decides "hey we can do that too". Do they realise how weak this makes them look?

   Incidentally, I was scrolling through a Labour Party webpage this morning and I found reference to Chris Hipkins' nickname "Chippy". I understood that Hipkins actually didn't like this nickname but either I was misinformed or he has changed his mind and decided to adopt it.
   • Blazer 1.1

     11 September 2023 at 8:00 am

     When their main opponent can tell voters that by rebooting the housing ponzi scheme ,rents will reduce…it makes you wonder if anything Labour announce will make a…difference.

     Liz Truss policies ridiculed in the U.K seem to have credibility..here.

     Tax cuts for the rich….growing the 'pie'!
     • SPC 1.1.1

       11 September 2023 at 9:58 am

       Luxon sort of gave the game away when he would not commit to reduce rents for his own properties … trust landlords not to see themselves in the picture they themselves paint.
   • bwaghorn 1.2

     11 September 2023 at 1:11 pm

     Labour is playing political catchup, and it make

     I've gelt the same, but did wonder is the dental and gst policies signal to both the the greens and the Maori party that they have a friend in labour.

     Given they have one of those policies each !
2. Roy Cartland 2

   11 September 2023 at 7:49 am

   I tend to agree. They'll get voted in on promises then find a way to not implement them, or screw it up. Another working group, an incompetent minister, a realisation that it's 'not the right time', an assurance that it will be done next term, if you vote for us.
   • Hunter Thompson II 2.1

     11 September 2023 at 9:37 am

     That's democracy for you. Or as one newspaper man said:

     "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. H. L. Mencken · Good Democracy …
     • Roy Cartland 2.1.1

       11 September 2023 at 9:53 am

       Hmm I don't quite get it, is that like the phrase "people get the government they deserve" or "be careful what you wish for"?
3. Tricledrown 3

   11 September 2023 at 8:06 am

   The ACT party is wagging the tail already now NZ first antivaxx stand National have got to explain.National can't say its policy is going ahead with Seymour saying he is going to blackmail National policy by policy, spending decisions not going through National will beholding to ACT to get any spending approved.Luxon needs to admit what they will do with ACT and NZ first .Fobbing off the Media by saying we are focusing on getting votes for National when ACT are in a very strong position.With NZfirst over 5%. Consistently with National needing both to get policy through which could be very difficult.Luxon needs to be asked the question.NZ voters may have second thoughts voting for National will mean an Austerity lead govt which would mean the economy stagnating while other economies recover.
   • Bearded Git 3.1

     11 September 2023 at 9:50 am

     Luxon must be well pissed off with Seymour's "tail will wag the dog" narrative. This is where ACT will pick and choose when it supports the Nats but will not go into a coalition and might pull the government down at any point. Labour has already labelled it the coalition of cuts and chaos because of this.

     “The coalition of cuts and chaos is tipping into absurdity with David Seymour saying he wants an arrangement where ACT would give National support for confidence but not supply,” Grant Robertson said. "

     https://www.labour.org.nz/news-release_coalition_cuts_chaos_national

     Meanwhile Luxon is far from clear as to whether he will work with anti-vaxxers or not.

     https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300967901/sword-fights-to-antivaxxers-christopher-luxon-will-do-anything-to-win

     And Winston is saying all sorts of things from the sidelines. This is unravelling for National.
     • Ad 3.1.1

       11 September 2023 at 10:16 am

       ACT at 12-15% is a big bushy tail though.
       • Bearded Git 3.1.1.1

         11 September 2023 at 10:17 am

         The last few polls it has been more like 10-12% with the Greens always above ACT.
         • Ad 3.1.1.1.1

           11 September 2023 at 10:42 am

           ACT know how to wag that tail best.
     • Mike the Lefty 3.1.2

       11 September 2023 at 2:22 pm

       I remember National's TV ads for the 2014 election featuring a boatload of red shirted and green shirted oarsmen trying to row in different directions.

       I would suggest now that we have a boatload of blue shirted and exotic blue/yellow/purple shirted oarsmen trying to push each other out of the boat.

       I would love to see Labour come up with that one.
4. Temp ORary 4

   11 September 2023 at 10:57 am

   I am not onsite very much myself these days, but the number of comments on TS seems well down from previous election periods. Have there been tightened commenting restrictions &/or a bunch of bannings recently? I didn't see anything new in the policy section.
   • Cricklewood 4.1

     11 September 2023 at 12:38 pm

     Imho recent moderation descisions have pushed some of the more interesting albiet sometime contrary commentors away. Redlogix and Swordfish string to mind and others whilst still around are much quieter.
   • James Thrace 4.2

     11 September 2023 at 12:45 pm

     Comment makers are now expected to supply the same level of detail as a post maker. Notwithstanding that in the main, many commentators have a brain, and are most likely to have read the news or in the event that a reference to something is made, will be picked up by another commentator. However, much of the joy and spark that made TS what it was, with the genuine and free exchange of ideas in the comment section, has now been vastly depleted because of the demands that one cannot just fire off a response using their mobile while on the bus home without painstakingly trawling through what they've read that day to find exact, specific URL's…
   • Craig H 4.3

     11 September 2023 at 2:30 pm

     I tend to read on my phone/tablet and can't comment here on either.
   • alwyn 4.4

     11 September 2023 at 3:01 pm

     The commenting fraternity here, with a very few exceptions, is down to the last tiny remnant of true believers. They are just like the general voting populace share which is why I expect the Labour Party vote to drop into the low twenties by election day.
     • Blazer 4.4.1

       11 September 2023 at 5:36 pm

       So profound…Alwyn…what are you looking forward to re policies the opposition have outlined, that will make NZ a better place if they win..the election?
     • bwaghorn 4.4.2

       11 September 2023 at 6:21 pm

       More Watchung with dred fascination, got a feeling come election day I'm gonna feel like the lone astronaut on the beach at the end of planet of the apes, realizing that his fallow man really did it.
5. Patricia Bremner 5

   11 September 2023 at 10:59 am

   Come on the Greens and Labour and Te Maori Parti. We have things in common. We are able to work together, and will be far more stable and predictable.

   Although many hold grudges about covid climate change rules and speed of change, we know the leaders of the Left have agreed on how they will work, and see people and the climate as main issues.

   The right have far less in common and appear to have two lots of rather strange bedfellows. One group is already falling apart.

   So hang in there for the next 4 weeks. Get out the banners, the hoardings and feet on the ground. Any money would help.Go the left.

   Then get out the popcorn to watch the manoeuvres of the coalition dance.
   • weka 5.1

     11 September 2023 at 1:04 pm

     completely agree. Thanks Patricia.
6. newsense 6

   11 September 2023 at 12:03 pm

   Luxon is a dodgy leader, but what he is selling is a junk manifesto. That’s why his interview was so bad. His product is appalling and half arsed.

   Air NZ is worth selling, this National party plan isn’t full of holes and not what people want.
7. Barfly 7

   11 September 2023 at 12:12 pm

   A subject that has been spoken of much is Tax% of Wages increasing over time due to the effects of progressive % tax rates and inflation indeed there has been quite a loud clamour in some quarters demanding changes to address this.

   There is another monetary item that has been affected significantly by inflation and the passage of time.

   Currently the Accomodation Supplement starts to be reduced if a claiment has more than $2600 in liquid assets and is not paid at all to people if they have $8100 or more in liquid assets.

   I am blessed/cursed with a very good memory so I am confident that those limits have not changed for at least 20 years and we all know that $2600 in 2003 dol1ars is worth a shit ton more than $2600 in 2023 dollars. The monetary limits on the Accomodation Supplement when it was introduced would have been calculated on the value of the currency at the time. By not adjusting the thresholds for this assistance over decades governments have been impoverishing people caught by this.
   • Patricia Bremner 7.1

     11 September 2023 at 1:35 pm

     That is correct Barfly, but the Policy was a Nat one to allow higher rentals. Labour have changed rules to put a ceiling on the number of rent rises and the right to evict. To put more on the rental subsidy sees Landlords take it. I think the left want to raise income.
     • Barfly 7.1.1

       11 September 2023 at 1:57 pm

       Well my point is that this isn't related to paying higher amounts of rental it's the unintended consequences where a person loses their job and then find because they have a few thousand in the bank ( not a hellova lot) they will get no assistance on rent till they have nearly exhausted their savings. Another situation is when a beneficiary say had a car when they become a beneficiary and they sell it they find a large chunk or all their accomodation supplement disappears until therir money from the car is eaten up. When my mother died I received a small inheritance that rendered me ineligible for the Accomodation Supplement until the money was consumed to be below the threshold – it felt a bit shitty.
       • Kay 7.1.1.1

         11 September 2023 at 4:33 pm

         When my mother died I received a small inheritance that rendered me ineligible for the Accomodation Supplement until the money was consumed to be below the threshold – it felt a bit shitty.

         Which is why, if you're a long term beneficiary and are aware there is any sort of inheritance coming your way, is to ask the potential gifter to engage in very complex advanced planning with a lawyer to find all the loopholes to ensure this doesn't happen. (There are ways).

         The state believes it is the responsibility of the family to support those unable to support themselves, and too many family members are completely unaware of this particular rule, and have no idea their small gift to give relative a few basic pleasures in life is in reality going to be paying the rent.
   • Craig H 7.2

     11 September 2023 at 1:59 pm

     http://www.nzlii.org/nz/legis/hist_act/ssaa319931993n57320/

     30 years – literally never changed since the accommodation supplement replaced the accommodation benefit as at 1 July 1993.
8. Sanctuary 8

   11 September 2023 at 12:17 pm

   Have to say the Fijians were robbed by the referee today. Matthew Carley is a plonker, same dude let the Jaapies spend two hours ambling around Twickenham against NZ.
   • Tricledrown 8.1

     11 September 2023 at 12:39 pm

     Agreed the first time Fiji infringed they got a yellow but after many warnings for infringements near the tryline no yellow for Wales.Then the dis allowed try which in slow motion doesn't show any hands separating from the ball infact he had five fingers creating downward pressure then the other hand was still on the ball.The number of infringements the Welsh were continuously committing it should have been a penalty try with a yellow.

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