This is how it’s done

Written By: - Date published: 11:56 am, October 15th, 2013 - 37 comments
Categories: capital gains, david cunliffe, death with dignity, housing, labour, us politics, video - Tags: ,

Cunliffe shows yet again that he knows how to front the media on current issues, and can respond to journalists questions clearly and decisively while being informed on the issues.

Scoop youtube video of Cunliffe stand-up in Parliament corridors – presumably today because he talks about last night’s Native Affairs programme:

Cunliffe says an independent inquiry is needed of Kōhanga Reo National Trust

US government unlikely to default on its debts.

What we’re seeing is the world’s biggest game of chicken.

On reports of the collapse in the first home buyers market: National Party’s housing policy is a shambles:

They neither have a decent supply side mechanism like Kiwibuild, nor do they have a Capital Gains Tax, and the Reserve Bank’s been left up the macro prudential creek without a paddle.

Labour is for a decent skills training policy for New Zealanders, as a priority over encouraging skilled immigrant.

Cunliffe says it was a good call to withdraw the Euthanasia Bill from the ballot, as it needs to be dealt with free from the politicisation of an election year.

Scoop report of the press conference.

37 comments on “This is how it’s done ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Nick 1
    15 October 2013 at 12:25 pm

    Except when he just makes shit up.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11140372

    “Asked to respond to Labour leader David Cunliffe’s claim that people were fleeing the regions in droves, Ms MacPherson said that the new data showed steady population growth in most of the regions.”

    Never let the facts get in the way of a good political story eh?

    • Zorr 1.1
      15 October 2013 at 12:34 pm

      Despite the fact that the Census results show *exactly* what Cunliffe was saying

      “Steady population growth” means babies being born and old people not dying – it has nothing to do with the increasing urbanization of NZ and the concentration of our population within 2-3 main centres…

      Do keep up

      • Rob 1.1.1
        15 October 2013 at 1:35 pm

        Exactly Zorr, in fact its obvious now that even holding the census was a dud decision , we should have just asked David.

        • Zorr 1.1.1.1
          15 October 2013 at 1:43 pm

          uh? What comment were you reading?

          My comment was specifically about the fact that David’s response was obviously formed by the Census data and analysis of that data (such as CV posted @1.2.1.1.1 – a very good read)

          As with the Repugs in the US, it’s becoming obvious that a lot of the mouthpieces for the right have undergone pre-emptive frontal lobotomies…

          My question to you Rob… where have all the smart conservatives gone? I haven’t seen one in ages and I fear they may have gone extinct

        • karol 1.1.1.2
          15 October 2013 at 1:52 pm

          As I said in my post, Rob. Cunliffe is generally well informed and on top of issues. He doesn’t usually make announcements that are not based in sound research.

          If someone had asked Cunliffe about his claims about regional-urban balance, prior to the publication of census results, he would most likely have referred people to the 2011 research that CV links to at 1.2.1.1.1 below.

          The Stuff and NZ Herald reporters seem incapable of doing background research for their articles, and have based their claims re region-urban migration based on limited data and little of their own analysis. Superficial, ill-informed, misleading.

          And of course, righties response to Cunliffe or the left doing something well, is to claim, that they didn’t do well elsewhere – and then attempt to back it up with hastily grabbed sources, and little thought.

    • karol 1.2
      15 October 2013 at 12:37 pm

      Well, yes. NZ’s population is growing.

      But the biggest growth is in selected areas, especially around Auckland.

      Try this Stats NZ map showing the comparative rate of increases.

      It’s not a clear cut regions vs urban – but it certainly shows Auckland is sucking up the most population, and the wider Canterbury area is taking some of the outflow from Christchurch.

      Gisborne area is the biggest loser.

      • McFlock 1.2.1
        15 October 2013 at 12:43 pm

        beat me to it 🙂

        • karol 1.2.1.1
          15 October 2013 at 1:03 pm

          Heh. I’d also be interested in the age breakdown, and income levels, of people moving around the country, and leaving and returning to the country. Those stats don’t seem to be available yet.

          • Colonial Viper 1.2.1.1.1
            15 October 2013 at 1:12 pm

            No sweat, all the work has already been done by Natalie Jackson, Waikato University.

            Check from p19 onwards especially.

            http://www.waikato.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/94619/2011-Demog-Forces-Revised2.pdf

            The Righties literally have no clue (or care).

            • karol 1.2.1.1.1.1
              15 October 2013 at 1:17 pm

              Thanks, CV.

              And this summary on p4:

              The issues and their implications are compounded at sub-national level, as internal migration of the young to the main cities and beyond has left most non-urban areas with deeply waisted, hour-glass shaped age-structures. Such age structures not not only face profound labour shortages, but are no longer conducive to growth.

  2. Colonial Viper 2
    15 October 2013 at 1:02 pm

    Cunliffe is good. Thank grod, like water poured from the heavens upon a drought stricken land.

    • fender 2.1
      15 October 2013 at 1:15 pm

      +1

      ABC= A Bloody Champion!

    • Chooky 2.2
      15 October 2013 at 2:45 pm

      +1…and thanks Karol for post

    • LynWiper 2.3
      15 October 2013 at 3:34 pm

      +3 Thanks for the post. Great to see David Cunliffe in action.

      • Rodel 2.3.1
        15 October 2013 at 5:26 pm

        Great…quiet…thoughtful…..forceful… ..unable to be bullied…no panic…no sneering …positive (and exceptionally bright) . What a CONTRAST to last night’s joker.(SB)

        • Rodel 2.3.1.1
          15 October 2013 at 7:50 pm

          This guy is Prime Minister material.. and I mean PRIME!

          By the way..SB..that’s not Sonny Bill..It’s another sort of acronym ..maybe the reverse of BS.. (Tories -look the word up)

        • North 2.3.1.2
          15 October 2013 at 10:11 pm

          Rodel @ 2.3.1. That’s exactly what my mind was saying. They’ll hate him for it though. And get too smart and overreach themselves. And he’ll just slap them down with proper force and dignity.

          Waiting to see Potty Gower turn into Puppy Gower !

          Re SB – thought for a second you meant Sonny Bill??? – Shouty Little Minister that one.

          Must be the stink Tory disease.

          • Rodel 2.3.1.2.1
            15 October 2013 at 11:22 pm

            North No he won’t slap them down.. He’ll just quietly and patiently explain to them why he’s right and they’re dickheads.(but in the nicest gentle possible way).

            As for Potty.. He needs to say, “Paddy ..You have a qualification in journalism I presume..have you a question of any journalistic relevance, indeed of any relevance to New Zealanders who may be listening? Or something like that. Yes .. forceful but dignified.

  3. emergency mike 3
    15 October 2013 at 1:16 pm

    This is how it’s done.

  4. geoff 4
    15 October 2013 at 3:55 pm

    Somewhere in a parallel universe, David Shearer, the leader of the NZ Labour Party is still in the process of answering the journalists questions…’ah um well yeah ah hmm mm um etc’

  5. Dean Reynolds 5
    15 October 2013 at 4:02 pm

    David Cunliffe is a superb operator – intelligent, well informed & articulate. Key & his cronies have got a hell of a fight on their hands & about time

    • karol 5.1
      15 October 2013 at 4:07 pm

      Team key will keep trying to throw their bag of tricks at Cunliffe, as in Question Time today – attack, divert, deny. And Key gets the speaker’s help in doing that.

      Cunliffe just keeps calm, asking questions and presenting evidence and facts.

      hopefully more people will be seeing through slippery Key’s tactics as time goes on.

    • Crunchtime 5.2
      15 October 2013 at 4:11 pm

      Not just intelligent, well informed and articulate.

      He also uses simple short words and catchy deceptively simple hook phrases that are easily repeatable.

      The Reserve Bank has indeed been left up the macro prudential creek without a paddle.

      Not to mention he’s also clearly passionate about the country and it’s people more than he is about himself – more than I can say for Key.

  6. Not Another Sheep 6
    15 October 2013 at 4:05 pm

    Maybe Cunliffe should be really BRAVE, dare to go further and come at the media again and widely spread The IMF’s new view given to the OECD, World bank and world Governments with LaGarde’s ” sales pitch for a more just fiscal policy”.

    http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/19361021/tax-the-rich-imf-sparks-a-mini-revolution/

    An admission perhaps of a SNAFU for the last 30 years of doing things based on a fallacy of conglomerates having compassion and sharing their obscene wealth? A swing to the Left for the IMF as they view how they got it so wrong with their ‘slash and burn’ public funding, the austerity call -: the devastation of Right wing Capitalist Governments protecting only a few and the misery that inequality has left and economic global downfalls with this hands off the markets and “free market” myths.

    Along with this higher tax rate for those who benefit from exploitation and grind of poor people; Cunliffe could promote/ “SELL” better policies -tax laws to close loop holes
    e.g..
    http://www.ird.govt.nz/technical-tax/case-notes/2008/cn-20081219-supreme-court-trinity.html

    where these two smallish companies alone could potentially fleece the taxpayer of up to $3.7 billion in their tax avoidance arrangements over the life span of their forest.

    AND this time build robust laws to cover ‘illegal tax flight’ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_flight
    before higher taxes or his Capital gains tax is introduced so the economy is not thrown into turmoil like other economies when the “rich” took off.

    The third missing step is to bring in that “living wage” and some more $ to balance inequality. How did the global economy Cooperates think they would not come to a ‘watershed’ moment like the US when the consumer has no money to spend in building that economy?

  7. QoT 7
    15 October 2013 at 6:32 pm

    Gods bless, he ain’t perfect but fuck he’s so much better.

    • Rogue Trooper 7.1
      15 October 2013 at 6:35 pm

      “it’s a hard road…good things take time”.

    • Rodel 7.2
      15 October 2013 at 7:55 pm

      Waddayamean , he’s not perfect-how dare you!

      • QoT 7.2.1
        15 October 2013 at 8:29 pm

        Contrary to some people’s beliefs, I do not think Cunliffe is the messiah – he’s just damn good.

        • Zorr 7.2.1.1
          15 October 2013 at 8:33 pm

          I was trying to explain the other day to my family why it was that Cunliffe has me re-engaged with the political process and I managed to get it down to that he has fire in his belly, he comes across as sincerely believing what he is saying, he is well spoken and articulate and he is unafraid to lead

          Contrast all those attributes against all the other party leaders and you find all the others fall short on at least one of them (except Metiria Turei)

          More please

        • Rodel 7.2.1.2
          15 October 2013 at 9:17 pm

          QoT
          I didn’t know the guy but by all accounts Jesus was damn good too.

  8. Jenny Kirk 8
    15 October 2013 at 9:03 pm

    +1 Zorr, and more .

    I was privileged to go to a tangi the other day of a prominent local Northern Maori, and Cunliffe was there representing the Labour Party. Although clearly he wasn’t used to speaking on marae, he spoke
    movingly, simply and sincerely about this person and the work he’d done for Labour in the past.
    And I sat there thinking I was so grateful to be a part of his entourage – at a small and possibly insignificant event to the wider world and the MSM – but not insignificant to the people to whom he’d came to offer sympathy and whatever comfort he could in their loss. And those who came with me offered similar thoughts afterwards. This is a leader in the making. We’re going to have to work hard to make that happen in the short space of time we have available to us.