Questions for DS and DC
Written By:
- Date published:
12:55 pm, December 4th, 2011 - 82 comments
Categories: david cunliffe, labour -
Tags: David Cunliffe, david shearer, questions
The two main contenders for the leadership of the Labour Party are attending meetings with members in various parts of the country. On current schedule they’ll be in my neck of the woods late in the week.
So – if you could be in the audience – what questions would you ask David Cunliffe, and why? What questions would you ask David Shearer, and why?
82 comments on “Questions for DS and DC ”
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- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...16 hours ago - Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...17 hours ago
- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
Fairer, more sensible rules about managing earthquake risks are a step closer with the passing of legislation and the appointment of an independent chair to provide expert advice, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The Government is committed to reinvigorating our cities and regions to support economic growth, ...17 hours ago
- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
People in Northland and Auckland will benefit from a new machine for cancer treatment installed at the Regional Cancer and Blood Service at Auckland City Hospital. The MV5 linear accelerator, or LINAC machine, officially opened today targets cancer tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says this new, ...18 hours ago
- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Europe for high-level talks with France, Germany and the United Kingdom next week. "Since taking office almost a year ago, the Coalition Government has emphasised the importance we place on New Zealand's traditional and likeminded diplomatic and ...18 hours ago
- First arrests made under gang patch ban
Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...19 hours ago
- Better support for victims of sexual violence
The Government is proposing two major changes to name suppression laws that will put the views of victims of sexual violence first, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We are committed to restoring law and order and these two proposed changes will help ensure the victims of crime are put at ...20 hours ago
- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
Cabinet has agreed to invite all regions to submit proposals for Regional Deals between central and local government that drive economic growth and deliver the infrastructure our country needs, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop say. Inviting all regions to propose a Regional Deal that boosts ...21 hours ago
- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...21 hours ago
- Fighting for Kiwis in Trade
Delivered at Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School Good morning and thank you Deputy Vice Chancellor Lithander for your warm welcome and for inviting me to open Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School today. A Special thanks to the University of Auckland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and ...22 hours ago
- Attendance rates increase, again
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...23 hours ago
- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. “Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path towards living ...1 day ago
- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
The Government is reinstating the trade of livestock exports by sea while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, says Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard.“The Government will introduce legislation changes to reinstate the trade, enhance oversight, and strengthen requirements for exporters to identify risks and manage the welfare of ...2 days ago
- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...2 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
The Government has released its second Quarterly Investment Report (QIR) which shows substantial work still to be done by agencies to improve investment reporting and meet the Government’s expectations, Infrastructure and Acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “New Zealand has significant infrastructure and investment needs. The Government is determined to get ...2 days ago
- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...2 days ago
- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...2 days ago
- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
The Government is welcoming the decision by the Local Government Funding Agency to increase access to financing tools for fast growing councils to support greater investment in critical infrastructure, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Communities across the country are facing an infrastructure deficit and significant population growth is projected in ...2 days ago
- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
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- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...3 days ago
- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...3 days ago
- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...3 days ago
- Health survey results to help drive change
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- New diplomatic appointments
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- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
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- Red Tape Tipline goes live
Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...3 days ago
- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
The Minister for Youth Matt Doocey has today announced the eleventh Youth Parliament will be taking place in 2025. “Youth Parliament offers a unique youth development opportunity to young people from across New Zealand to experience the political process and learn about how government works,” says Mr Doocey. “The two-day ...4 days ago
- Police stats show promising change
After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...4 days ago
- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...4 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...4 days ago
- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. “We need to take every opportunity to engage with our international partners, given the increasingly unstable geo-political situation,” Ms Collins says. “New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to this ...4 days ago
- Launching the White Ribbon Ride
The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, was on hand to wish riders well at the start of the North Island leg of the White Ribbon Ride in Whakatāne this morning. The ride helps mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ...5 days ago
- Construction to begin on next stage of Papakura to Drury
Construction on the next stage of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project will begin early next month, with the contract for works awarded to Fulton Hogan, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. "SH1 Papakura to Drury is a key project that will drive economic growth and productivity, reduce congestion, and enable people ...6 days ago
- NZ signs trade deal with Costa Rica, Iceland and Switzerland
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has signed a pioneering trade agreement that prioritises New Zealand’s sustainable exports at a ceremony during APEC in Peru today. “The Agreement on Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS), between Costa Rica, Iceland, and Switzerland was concluded in July of this year and opens up significant ...6 days ago
- Government and iwi work together on aquaculture
Five new Aquaculture Settlement Areas will help ensure Ngāi Tahu shares in the opportunities aquaculture offers for Southland’s economy, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. “The Aquaculture Settlement Areas (ASAs) I’m announcing today set aside space so the Crown and Ngāi Tahu can assess their potential for aquaculture development. ...7 days ago
- Government launches review to ensure electricity market is fit-for-purpose
The terms of reference for a review of the performance of the electricity market have been released. The review, initiated by the Coalition Government during the power crisis in winter will look at whether current regulations and market design support economic growth and access to reliable and affordable electricity, Energy Minister ...7 days ago
- Speech to Social Investment Hui: Jack and his whānau need our help
Kia ora koutou katoa. Nau mai, haere mai, piki mai. Ki te mihi atu ahau, ki te manwhenua nei, Te Atiawa, Ngāti toa rangatira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you, Andy, for your introduction. Let me acknowledge you as the new Chief Executive of the Social Investment ...7 days ago
- Minister of State for Trade heads to Brisbane for PACER Plus meeting
Minister of State for Trade Nicola Grigg has travelled to Australia to attend the PACER Plus Ministers Meeting in Brisbane. “Trade plays a critical role in driving employment, economic growth, and improving the standards of living in the Pacific Region. The Government is strongly committed to supporting Pacific Island countries ...1 week ago
- RNA editing is the next frontier in gene therapy – here’s what you need to know
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne IoanaB/Shutterstock The United States Food and Drug Administration has just approved the first-ever clinical trial that uses CRISPR-Cas13 RNA editing. Its ...30 minutes ago - Yes, you still need to use sunscreen, despite what you’ve heard on TikTok
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Lee, PhD Candidate, Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland Karolina Grabowska/Pexels Summer is nearly here. But rather than getting out the sunscreen, some TikTokers are urging followers to chuck it out and go sunscreen-free. They claim it’s healthier ...30 minutes ago
- Humans are killing off the old and wise animals that hold nature together. Here’s what must change
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keller Kopf, Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Charles Darwin University Laxmikant Ameenagad, Shutterstock In humans and other animals, ageing is generally associated with a decline in biological function. But scientists are now discovering older animals perform vital roles in populations and ecosystems. ...30 minutes ago
- A man scouring Google Earth found a mysterious scar in the Australian outback – and now scientists...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matej Lipar, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University Author provided/Google Earth Earlier this year, a caver was poring over satellite images of the Nullarbor Plain when he came across something unexpected: an enormous, mysterious scar etched ...30 minutes ago
- Design as a movement: how First Nations people take ownership of their cultural stories through fash...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treena Clark, Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellow, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology Sydney Once located 250 metres to the east of the Art Gallery of South Australia, the grand beaux-arts style Jubilee Exhibition Building was constructed to house the ...30 minutes ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Annette Greenhow, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, Bond University Linda George/Shutterstock The ten-year anniversary of the death of much-loved Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes falls on November 27. The 25-year-old’s life was tragically cut short in 2014 when a bouncer ...59 minutes ago
- Hold the roosters, no economic dawn yet
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Gomes-Ng, Senior Lecturer of Psychology, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Former New Zealand prime minister John Key has three white rabbits painted on his helicopter, a nod to his “massively superstitious” habit of repeating “white rabbits” three times at ...3 hours ago
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The coalition has "absolutely no intention of listening to the evidence that comes out of their experiment", Labour MP says. ...4 hours ago
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Labour claims Government is ‘cherry-picking’ smoking trends data to hide decade-first increase in daily smokers The post Smoke and mirrors in heated tobacco debate appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 hours ago
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The Government’s economic adviser is sending a message it doesn’t want to hear – superannuation is increasingly unaffordable The post Treasury bangs the drum on ‘unsustainable’ superannuation appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 hours ago
- Victims of sex offending welcome shift on name suppression laws
A man abused by a former political figure is "immensely relieved" at a government proposal to end secrecy around sex offenders' identities. ...4 hours ago
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There is plenty yet to play out, but the next election is at this rate shaping up as trio versus trio, writes Toby Manhire. A subplot of this week’s historic hīkoi mō te Tiriti has been the sight of the three opposition parties presenting a unified front. Te Pāti Māori ...4 hours ago
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My first question would be what role do you have for your opponent if you win and what will you do to reconcile the Caucus?
+1
+1
+1.
My question for both would be the same:
“What are the top three things you want the next Labour government to achieve?”
I want to know more about what each of them stand for, what their vision is, what their priorities are. And I don’t want some vague waffle from Shearer, I want some concrete answers.
What is your attitude to the Green Party, and those who vote for them?
(Personally, I think the future for the left is a some sort of collaboration between Labour and Greens, and possibly also Mana, so I would like to see conciliatory approaches from the top).
That’s my question and thoughts too.
Hilary – – – – right on the nail.
What is your motivation to seek the Labour Party Leadership? Are you happy with Labour’s intentions as they stand or do you support a move in a new direction?
If Winston Peters is the answer. What is the question ?
Winston represents a real constituency. More socially conservative than Labour, but with not dissimilar economic policy. That and a distinctive nationalistic streak, peculiarly absent most NZ politics.
Oh you mean he’s reppin for the old folk.
So what is the generation before the babyboomers called ?
What do the both of you possibly think you can offer the “working class” when one is Harvard educated and the other has worked for the World’s largest NGO earning tax free US dollars?
I’d like to ask a particular New York investment banker and currency speculator the same question.
One suspects you are referring to John Key? That would be funny if he did put his name forward for the job of labour representative!
You would be saying “he’s just a working class hick” if they didn’t have qualifications Nick K. Since when was a qualification a hindrance in politics?
In view of the article in the Herald about Labour needing to be further right than it is, do you see Labour as Left or Centre Left? and why?
Without any meaningless waffle:
Describe the top five (concrete) policies, that are not currently Labour policy, that you want to fight for, and explain why.
Explain your views on neoliberalism, and the future of capitalism.
What are your views on “identity politics”? (god I hate that term but anyhow…).
What are the five biggest issues facing New Zealand, and how do you believe we should deal with them?
Do you see yourself as to the right or to the left of the current caucus? elaborate?
What do you plan to do about the low voter turnout? This is important because many of those who did not vote have the most to lose under brand key.
If you’re made leader your staffing will be crucial. Have you decided who your chief of staff would be and can you tell us who it is and why you have chosen them?
Question:
In view of the fact that global extraction of oil peaked over 2005 to 2008, and is on the way down, and that no combination of so-called alternatives can possibly support current economic arrangements, and in view of the fact that excessive carbon dioxide emissions due to the burning of fossil fuels pose the greatest threat continued habitability of the Earth by humans, do you intend to start talking honestly about the crucical issues of our times or do you intend to continue ignoring them until it is far too late to do anything?
“When it comes to solving the economic problems facing New Zealand, to what extent can government measures be the solution?”
(That should flush out some latent or not so latent ideology. Variants include ‘social problems’, ‘environmental problems’ …)
“What need, if any, do you believe there is for more and better forms of participatory democracy at local and national levels and in the workplace?”
“If you could change one thing, overnight, about New Zealand (and I don’t mean ‘attitudes’, ‘values’, etc.) what would that be?”
What do you see as the required steps for New Zealand to raise its levels of productivity.
Anthony.
Are you a factory owner?
Lower pay rates, longer hours for the same pay, faster production lines, working people harder, replacing people with machines?
No but I’ve worked in one, where because of the low pay rates it was cheaper to have us carry and stack boxes than buy or hire a fork lift.
I want to see how they answer these questions and the slants that become apparent from their answers.
What are your views on re-establishing public broadcasting TV in NZ?
From an old marxist how do you intend to reconnect the disjointed labour party to the majority of voters who would identify themselves as social democrates ( even if they arent aware they could be defined as social democrates ) in a continuous growth pattern.
What are your views on the current gap between work and welfare?
What the hell can you do for Trevor Mallard?
I must admit I prefer the version that says.
What the hell WILL you do TO Trevor Mallard.
What are your views on the TPPA ?
How do you think Labour can attract more young activists and voters? (and please don’t just refer us to the upcoming structural review…)
What immediate steps should be taken to deal with the thousands of kids who are living in poverty?
That may be impossible to fix, but the aim should be to reduce the number of children born into poverty.
Impossible to fix? It’s the redistribution mechanism that is broken. Change legislation to ensure children don’t live in poverty… simple! It’s costing us far more not to.
Are you barmy Pete?
Same Ianmac @ 5.45pm. To me, after seeing the documentary on the state of so many of our poor children this is the big question. Especially now that we have National for the next 3 years and they are certainly not going to do anything for the poor little mites and the tragedy wiill only become worse.
Unbearable.
To D Cunliffe: You’ve stated you’ll buy back any assetts sold under National, will you extend that to all assetts sold under Labour as well?
To D Shearer: Would you buy back all assetts sold under National and buy back any assetts sold under National?
Also what can be done to sort out the top order of the NZ cricket team?
“You’ve stated you’ll buy back any assetts sold under National,…”
Got a link or a quote for that?
Cunliffe said on The Nation that re-nationalisation would be considered.
QA today:
http://tvnz.co.nz/q-and-a-news/david-shearer-cunliffe-interview-4588692
That’s what I thought I heard. A fair way from what chris alleged.
OK so change it to considering then
no reason not to consider renationalising any asset, whether it was sold by labour or national.
Which is a bit different from committing to repurchase every asset sold in the last 30 years.
He also said it on Q&A.
Cunliffe said he could consider buying back some sold assets.
Which is very different to what chris said, which was he will buy back any assets sold by National.
Got to watch these fantasies and lies, they have a habit of coming back 3 years later as established memes. Best to stop them before they get started.
Will you ban cricket?
If not a total ban, at least ban fiddling at full deliveries outside the off stump while the ball is new.
I could support this
Me too …
fairly much already happened- we played about 10 less matches than any other main test playing nation.
Don’t worry the rugby starts again in a month!
Fiddling at full deliveries outside off stump in test matches is a bit like partial asset sales- there’s not a high rate of return, you risk losing your assets to a foreign owner, there’s not much risk to the new bidder/owner and generally you get a low price for your asset. There’s also not much the selectors can do until the next rematch.
Who said cricket’s got nothing to do with life?
my question is when are you going to spank hooton and kweewee!
What is your plan to combat National’s propaganda machine and media bias?
What role are women going to play in your caucus? Is it going to be as male dominated as National’s government, with most of the dominant positions going to men?
+1 I would also ask how is your caucus leadership going to reflect a modern Bicultural NZ.
What chance do you think there is of the MSM supporting the ‘leadership play’ all the way through to endorsement of the chosen candidate and favourable press post appointment?
What hope is there for the rejected candidate in terms of future leadership possibilities? Is it: not now but later, or will it be: they weren’t right then, they can’t be the right person for the job….
Why was there not sufficient dialoge within the party, and indeed between you two to enable the appropriate successor to be chosen? After all this was not unexpected, and neither of you are fools; can a public popularity constest umpired by the notoriously biased MSM really deliver a better result?
A succession strategy is a necessary part of any organization. Ideally multiple candidates are nurtured and then the best individual is put forward for the circumstances at the time. This is not a race but an evaluation of each persons strengths.
While popularity with the public is one of those strengths I sincerely hope it has not become the most important and I certainly hope that those that are unsuccessful are forever cast as the runner up. Such an outcome rewards the media for two dimensional portrayals of personalities and issues
and deprives us of future talent merely to assuage the medias never ending hunger for titillation.
Oops meant ‘i hope that those that are unsuccessful are NOT forever cast as the runner up’
Why did you enter parliament?
What is the philosophy of a social democratic party?
What is the role you see for centre-left parties as the financial crisis deepens?
Will you sign the TPP?
Are you going to, shock horror, support beneficiares instead of bashing those most vulnerable people in society as has been the pattern for both Labour and National.
What policy planks of the last election will you say are non-negotiable for you?
How will you be highlighting the abuse of democracy through use of urgency and will you be voting to give any minister power such as McCully had and Brownlee has?
How do you plan to service the government’s $50 billion debt hole National has got us into?
Jackal
That should be easy for Labour given the number will be a lot lower than Labour must have secretly been planning to manage if they won the election.
What? Labour provided the most in-depth fiscal policy of any opposition party ever… which showed them paying off the debt faster in the long term while also retaining our assets.
This post isn’t about you making shit up burt.
Correct, it seems to be about Labour making shit up and you believing it !
Labour didn’t come up with that figure, it’s from the OECD’s Statistical Annex (PDF). New Zealand’s General government gross financial liabilities as a percentage of GDP is set to grow from 28.9% in 2008 to 50% in 2013.
Here’s Brian Gaynor crunching the numbers: Smooth ride over for Key as deficits demand action
Selling assets isn’t going to work.
What is the role of the State in society and in the economy?
Good question. Lets hope the self serving answer isn’t given… remember it… Whatever govt decide it to be.
A very good – and very basic – question. (Though I’d ask ‘What should be the role of the state in society and in the economy?’ – but I think that’s what you were aiming at.)
Anyone who has thought much about modern politics and government should have a clear opinion in relation to that question.
Covering both the social and economic spheres in the question is also very useful.
+1
How will you tackle the dominance of Sky TV and SkyCity in areas of our culture?
Do you support unqualified free trade or do you believe NZ industry should be protected and promoted?
Do you agree with the ongoing flattening of NZ’s tax system and if not, will you reintroduce a more progressive taxation regime?
Will you privatize the NZ military and its peace-keeping operations?
Some great suggestions here – thanks folks!
How do you intend to supplement the collection of time-servers on the Labour list with people who have actually succeeded beforehand in some social and/or business endeavour, as you both have?
You have both talked about the regeneration of the Labour party, but do either of you have any actual specific plans to involve anyone other than the usual suspects in that regeneration?
How to you propose to create a new unified Left?
Would you consider a shared leadership like the Greens and a consensual rather than hierarchical structure within the party?
Are you prepared to publicly denounce Neo-Liberalism and front a robust debate around new economic thinking? How do you intend to do so?
How can you distance yourself from the propaganda around Communism, The Cold War and Unionism, fear of which has been played brilliantly – if sadistically – by the right, and form a new narrative around these values to reignite the desire to vote?
Are you prepared to take us forward? Or souls all on the left jump ship to the Greens?
Do you intend to react to defeat by a rachet to the Right in an attempt to claim National’s territory, or do you intend to reinvigorate those who have lost faith in democracy and move us into the future?
The preliminary results of the election show that Labour handsomely won the party vote in all seven Maori Electorates.
Bearing that in mind, what will you be doing to specifically target the needs of Maori?
Also, how’s your te reo going?
(I’m not asking for an exhaustive whaikorero at the drop of a hat, I just want to be able to hear a pakeha politician pronounce Maori names without cringing, is that so much to ask?)
What would you do to make NZ a better place for everyone?
What is your commitment to reduce socio-economic disparaties and improve parliamentary representation for the 20% of New Zealanders who identify as disabled?