Thanks Swordfish, that's excellent analysis. Seems to me that the rise of Bill Shorten In Aussie is going somewhat unheralded here. He was in a hopeless position a few months back given the initial popularity of Turnbull. However he and Chris Bowen have ...
Dairy farmers need look no further than the meat industry to see what a disparate beyond the farmgate model delivers.
Its important that farmers don't get duped into throwing the baby out with the bathwater re Fonterra. They will realise becoming price takers at the end of the supply chain at the behest of foreign corporates is an incredibly dangerous place to be. ...
Changing the subject up, I thought Grant Robertson did pretty well on Q&A this morning. Ive never really been a fan but credit where its due. http://tvnz.co.nz/q-and-a-news/labour-s-future-work-conference-video-6453255
There may have been an element of truth in that previously but I just don't see it now. If NZ First are elected on a strong mandate it is obvious he will be in a strong position to name his price. In short he's guaranteed a senior position pretty much of ...
You only have to look at what has happened in Northland to see how effective Winston can be for rural NZ. Look at all the promises offered by the Nats in the by election and the subsequent regional development package that has been wheeled out. None of ...
Thanks Olwyn. At present the Labour and Greens have been moving towards his policy positions and are treating him with some respect. National have been ridiculing him and advancing policies that are an anathema to him such as TPPA and open door immigration...
I think everyone is under estimating Winston's motives as witnessed by Rodney Hide's diatribe in the Herald. As the post alludes he has had a platform of 15 key principles that he has held firm on since party inception. He actually believes that stuff and ...
The punters don't do nuanced. If they perceive open door immigration or foreign investment in housing or farmland an issue there is only one authentic voice and they will pivot to that. I agree re stunts with red peak, Hindi translations and other trivia, ...
In many way Winston is like Corbyn and Sanders, veteran politicians who's consistent positions over decades have become in vogue. Little is working towards him on immigration and trade issues but Winston comes across as the authentic voice because he has ...
If that govt was still in power we would asking the questions of them. This is all about where we are now and what we are going to do about it.
Agreed. Little is actually articulating what many people are thinking. There is something wrong when New Zealanders are being priced out of their own country. How have we allowed an average house in our biggest city to be 9x median income? Yes there is ...
I listened to question time today and think there is a danger of the opposition overplaying their collective hand. Virtually all the questions were about the dairy situation and Ron Mark asked essentially an identical question to the one Grant Robertson ...
If that's the extent of their ambition, fine. Here's me thinking they wanted to have a functioning ETS ,higher standards for fresh water and ending child poverty....
So do I, however the danger is they get disillusioned and/or are uninspired and stay at home come election day. By the way I like Shaw and for the greater good of a change of Govt they are probably doing the right thing. The risk being that it may come at ...
I agree a coherent display and one which follows on from the opening speeches in Parliament this year which were similarly dovetailed. Little and Shaw seem to be happy to talk immigration controls and foreign investment restrictions in a clear play to woo ...
This is the perfect storm for National. Do nothing and watch and listen while hardship in their heartland support areas plays out daily in the media, making them appear heartless and out of touch. Or conjure up a support package and get ravaged by another ...
Graeme do you think the Queenstown factor may be overstated? As was pointed out here recently Qtown is about 25% of the total voting. The path to an upset might be to specifically target the 75% heavily rural with a strong candidate focused on those issues...
I agree Weka, I don't think it out of the realms that the govt could be delivered a huge fright in a by election. Probably the biggest obstical in these circumstances would be the changing of the balance of power in Wellington should the Nats lose another ...
The prospect of a by election would be fascinating. Surely National would find someone with some credible rural credentials this time...? If they didn't and with the rural downturn really starting to hit then it could be all on for young and old. Liz Craig...
It was interesting to see a pretty coherent showing from the 3 opposition leaders. Clearly they have plenty of low hanging fruit to work with but they broadly seemed on the same page with issues around the dairy situation and Immigration/foreign investment...
It's all very well for Moynihan to bag farmers farming models but they were only responding to the economic signals of the day. The forecasts that Moynihan and the like put out have proved woefully inaccurate and the consequences of those errors will be ...
Restrictions on foreign investors must be enforced and land values must be allowed to adjust downwards. There is plenty of blame to go around but the banks are absolutely culpable. The have blown up the bubble by allowing reckless lending levels based on a...
Wow, the cover up appears to unravelling. He is really under the pump down here. Dead man walking? http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/opinion/77648822/even-safe-seats-can-be-highmaintenance
"(PS waiting for events outside your control is not a strategy)" I agree with that but in reality govts generally get kicked out. The Nats only really need to shed a couple of % and they are in trouble. On that I am surprised at Key not feigning more ...
Judging from English on RNZ this morning he hinted at an enhanced R&D package in budget. The issue is wether it placates the masses or looksike too little too late?
Nothing to do with " the left" it has everything to go with being a farmer and living this reality and knowing how things are affecting my wider community. I am old enough (just) to have been farming in the 80s and know how this plays out. There will be ...
Probably because this is the issue that will fell the govt. There is going to be major social dislocation in regional NZ and by election time it will be blowing through the cities as well. IMHO the govt has made a tactical blunder in trying to downplay ...
We require someone who in the first instance aims at being a bloody good constituency MP. Todd doesn't want to sit on the backbench either which is half his problem.
Graeme, yes that is the guy I am referring to. I have never come across him so will take your word on his character. I guess the back story of an international fund manager returning home to seek a safe electorate seat elicits raised eyebrows in ...
The drop to $3.90 is a cruel blow no matter how well telegraphed. The big issue is that no one can call with any certainty that this is going to reverse anytime soon. If we don't start to see a substantial recovery in prices there is an massive systemic ...
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