What deal do we get?

Written By: - Date published: 9:38 am, July 30th, 2014 - 94 comments
Categories: act, MMP, national, national/act government, united future - Tags:

So Key’s announced his deals, without so much as a cup of tea.

Epsom’s National voters who can bear the smell of the serially corrupt ACT party are to hold their noses and ignore Goldsmith.

Ohariu’s National voters who are looking for an outdated model with a track record of bending over his principles for a ministerial wage can be Dunne over.  If they’re not over Dunne.

Do Espom’s voters so lack entertainment that they want to see what happens next?  After a perk-buster that likes perks and a tough on crime advocate who likes the soft option on his crimes; followed by a Brash stabbing that resulted in a conservative leading a liberal party and being found to be liberal in his interpretation of electoral donation law. Actually that does seem a good show… if only the running of our country wasn’t so badly affected by this comedy Act…

It seems unbelievable that Ohairiu’s voters won’t be United by their desire to see the Future of Peter be Dunne out of Parliament.

But seriously – these deals resulted in policies foisted upon us last election that National didn’t want to own.

Charter Schools have cost us many millions, with money being thrown at them as they corrode our formerly world-leading education system, but they weren’t anywhere in the last campaign.

After Act’s resounding 1% of the vote, and with many options of who they could go in coalition with, they held Key over a barrel and demanded the policy that had been the centrepiece of their campaign … or National used them as a fig-leaf to give us charter schools, one of the two.

So what will National force on us unannounced through these deals this time?  Are they willing to give us a clue?

94 comments on “What deal do we get? ”

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  1. Tracey 1
    30 July 2014 at 9:55 am

    Really? he would give such a high impact policy to a party that gets less than 2% of the entire vote? Surely you jest?

  2. Puckish Rogue 2
    30 July 2014 at 10:12 am

    Its MMP and Nationals doing what it has to do for the good of the country so suck it up and get over it

    • Dave 2.1
      30 July 2014 at 10:23 am

      Hahahaha surely you don’t believe that? Can you name me one policy that has helped NZ? With some of that stuff that usually goes with it, what is it called again, yeah, proof, that’s the one.

    • Tracey 2.2
      30 July 2014 at 10:24 am

      I agree that it is part of MMP.

      It was expected it’s not a shock. I do think having done such a deal National (or which e
      ever party makes the accommodation) ought to tell the nation which parts of the minor party’s policies it will consider adopting for a deal. It may only be prepared to accommodate one or two, so tell us 5 that you would consider, then you retain your negotiation stance post election.

      To me that approach is the corrollary to pre election accommodations.

    • fender 2.3
      30 July 2014 at 10:26 am

      Nah it’s MMKey!

      Spat out and sent to Hawaii is all he’s in for, do hope you’ll get over it after he’s gone.. 🙂

    • You_Fool 2.4
      30 July 2014 at 10:48 am

      It is MMP in so much that NACT are trying to break it so that the public get sick and tired of their games, but somehow blame MMP instead of the parties doing the breaking, and call for a change in system.

      • Puckish Rogue 2.4.1
        30 July 2014 at 11:18 am

        If parties (and Labour wern’t shy about using MMP in this way when it suited them) can run rings around the system then the system needs to change

        • fender 2.4.1.1
          30 July 2014 at 11:26 am

          Failing to implement the recommended changes put forward by the Electoral Commission are the “rings” National are using.

          National never improve anything do they, they’re a very regressive bunch of fools..

          • Puckish Rogue 2.4.1.1.1
            30 July 2014 at 11:37 am

            The ends justifies the means

            • fender 2.4.1.1.1.1
              30 July 2014 at 12:25 pm

              I take it that’s a quote from Judith… you should use these things: ” “

            • Tracey 2.4.1.1.1.2
              30 July 2014 at 3:14 pm

              I do think having done such a deal National (or which e
              ever party makes the accommodation) ought to tell the nation which parts of the minor party’s policies it will consider adopting for a deal. It may only be prepared to accommodate one or two, so tell us 5 that you would consider, then you retain your negotiation stance post election.

  3. Chooky 3
    30 July 2014 at 10:22 am

    +100 good post ….in answer to Tracy

    …the PR for Charter Schools is run by Catherine Isaacs of ACT, former wife of
    Roger Kerr and owner of Awaroa PR Company a lobby group to the NACT government and government departments…like Education

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10870578

    http://www.act.org.nz/posts/author/catherine-isaac

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Isaac

    http://www.awaroa.com/

    http://www.awaroa.com/services.html

    Research could be done on the clients of this company which include the oil industry, issues connected with the environment eg 1080 ?…and overseas companies

  4. greywarbler 4
    30 July 2014 at 10:33 am

    ACT this morning going on about our laws being race based and that is “abominable”.
    These right wingers are so destructive to the democracy that we have painstakingly built that they deserve the opprobrium that Nats handed out to communists. The extreme right and the extreme left have surprising similarities of approach.

    A Jewish man in Germany experienced the fascist thinking around WW2 and was among the last few Jews alive in his city and on his way to extermination when the city was firebombed which upset the Nasty industrial death machine. After WW2 the communists took over, and their administration and bureaucratic approach were almost a mirror image of the other,

    He kept constant diaries during the war that are a priceless testament to the human soul and its travails in this often shitty world. I can dig out info if someone wants it.

  5. Rodel 5
    30 July 2014 at 10:42 am

    The future under Key?
    1. Sale of Kiwibank to Australian interests(or anyone).
    2. Commercialization and sale of Radio New Zealand.
    3. Increased funding to private and charter schools.
    4. Knighthood for Mike Hoskings and John Banks.
    5….?

    • Wayne 5.1
      30 July 2014 at 11:10 am

      Rodel,

      It will only be item 3, probably 10 to 15 charter schools. Not exactly the end of 2,500 state schools.

      As for 1 and 2, this will not happen. John Key has been quite specific on that.

      The reality is that tiddler parties dependent on the National lifeline only get small things. And most voters understand that.

      So if the Nats get to lead the govt, to all intents and purposes it will be a Nat govt, with trifles to the support parties. Obviously they have to get something, but it is not much.

      For instance I have no idea what Peter Dunne got in this last term. And Act got 5 charter schools with about 500 students out of around 600,000 school kids.

      • Rodel 5.1.1
        30 July 2014 at 11:56 am

        Believe John Key?????Ha!

      • framu 5.1.2
        30 July 2014 at 12:33 pm

        “but it is not much.”

        no – just unannounced policy that is part of a global movement to make money out of a tax payer guaranteed revenue stream and de-unionise teaching at the same time, plus you get to hand pick your own ideologically stacked board to evaluate the success of said secret policy

        you trying to claim that charter schools is just a little tid bit given to the act party to keep them quiet and that it wont grow from there, or that its not part of a bigger longer game is so stupid that your either deluded or bullshitting

        ever heard of G.E.R.M. wayne?

      • Tracey 5.1.3
        30 July 2014 at 2:12 pm

        Peter dunne got a big pay packet to nod when he was told to.

        • Draco T Bastard 5.1.3.1
          30 July 2014 at 2:39 pm

          Don’t forget that he also got mention that he was a Very Important Person.

    • David H 5.2
      30 July 2014 at 1:28 pm

      You mean a pardon and early release from jail for John Banks

    • David H 5.3
      30 July 2014 at 1:30 pm

      KDC goes to bed in AK wakes up in Jail in LA.

    • dialey 5.4
      30 July 2014 at 8:18 pm
      1. removal of anti-nuclear policy
  6. Tiger Mountain 6
    30 July 2014 at 11:12 am

    “The war on the poor” via Paula Rebstock and her vile assistants was also a National hidden plan made out to be one of ACT’s little gifts. For several years according to the Household Labour Force Survey there have been more people unemployed than in receipt of an unemployment benefit due to the recasting of WINZ into a sadistic punishment system for the vulnerable rather than the once social security ‘net’.

    Of course one benefit–WFF has not been attacked yet because middle class ‘kiwi battlers’ are often aspirational Nat voters and not to be disturbed. The unaccountable aspects of the supercity were also courtesy of ACT.

    What next from the dirty filthy torys?
    –all out war on unions, particularly teachers
    –local government further restricted
    –carte blanche mine it, drill it, exploit it
    –more surveillance cameras and snooping
    –private prison expansion
    –PPP expansion particularly toll roads

    • Steve Wrathall 6.1
      30 July 2014 at 11:46 am

      The “unaccountable aspects of the supercity” were due to ACT? Like the racially reserved seats? No ACT opposed them.

    • greywarbler 6.2
      30 July 2014 at 11:55 am

      @ Tiger Mountain 11.12
      the recasting of WINZ into a sadistic punishment system for the vulnerable rather than the once social security ‘net’.

      This is an example of the vicious grinding down of NZs by a smug, cunning revolutionary group. First abandon the economic level playing field for workers here, while proclaiming the opposite, destroying employment-rich business adding to the NZ economy and the jobs that went with them, then blame people who can’t find jobs in the vacuum created by the government’s deliberate policies. Those who enable and encourage this practice are beneath contempt.

    • Adrian 6.3
      30 July 2014 at 3:03 pm

      More RMA reform, and if they only need Act to get it through it will be dire.

      • Steve Wrathall 6.3.1
        30 July 2014 at 4:20 pm

        Letting people do what they want on their own land (subject to common-law prosciptions on harming others), without having to pay megabucks for resource consents…What’s not to like?

        • Tracey 6.3.1.1
          30 July 2014 at 4:33 pm

          do you have children?

        • Lloyd 6.3.1.2
          30 July 2014 at 11:12 pm

          When you ask “liberals” in Auckland what they really want, they want the rules of the low density suburbs they live in maintained and they get quite upset at liberalisation of planning rules, whilst the ‘left-wingers’ tend to be much more receptive to altering the district plan to allow a property owner the ability to erect more dwellings on their patch of land. If you explain to a Browns Bay resident that RMA reform means that their neighbour will be able to put four more dwellings on their section, you might find RMA reform is very unlikable.

          Land owners would have more certainty of decisions and cheaper resource consents if the government strengthened the RMA with more National Environment Standards. Setting reasonable NES with good environmental outcomes would be a win-win situation, So called RMA reform inevitably is a way to let individual Councils set their own standards which means that overall resource consent costs must rise – a really dumb idea. RMA reform is usually really unlikable when examined closely and most of the persons calling for reform don’t understand the law and where the costs are generated. They just want to do environmentally damaging things without paying anything.

          Conversely the NES set must have good environmental outcomes. The water NES proposed where you can’t wade in water meeting the minimum standard is just stupid.

        • Minarch 6.3.1.3
          31 July 2014 at 2:24 pm

          you randroids really crack me up

          you should just “go galt” and do u all a favour

      • Bearded Git 6.3.2
        31 July 2014 at 9:53 am

        If the Nats get back the RMA will effectively be gutted, and so will our precious landscapes.

    • Liberal Realist 6.4
      30 July 2014 at 6:28 pm

      “What next from the dirty filthy torys?
      –all out war on unions, particularly teachers
      –local government further restricted
      –carte blanche mine it, drill it, exploit it
      –more surveillance cameras and snooping
      –private prison expansion
      –PPP expansion particularly toll roads”

      +1 and some additions to your list.

      Firesale privatization of;

      Primary & Secondary Education
      Health Care system

      And the removal of national sovereignty by way of the TPPA or if that fails a bilateral deal with the US that is equally shafting for NZ.

  7. Steve Wrathall 7
    30 July 2014 at 11:32 am

    Charter schools have been “mentioned” by ACT ever since our formation in 1994

    • meconism 7.1
      30 July 2014 at 11:47 am

      Wow, have you vile fuckers been around that long?

      • Tiger Mountain 7.1.1
        30 July 2014 at 12:41 pm

        Way too long for many, always seemed a party of individuals on the run from something, pushing an economic line that has had unpleasant consequences for the majority where ever someone took it seriously from Chile and NZ 1984 to austerity saddled Europe.

        As for strange, I remember Donna Awatere Huata’s then husband Wi assaulting Sue Bradford outside one of their Auckland conferences in 1995. And all that Business Round Table and Gibbs stuff. Hilary’s eyes on the sign above the brothel. Hide, perk buster turned trougher. Don–15%–Brash. Garrett ID lifter. And now Whyte?

        • greywarbler 7.1.1.1
          30 July 2014 at 3:02 pm

          @ Tiger Mountain 12.41
          Whyte sounds mechanical. Someone wound him up and he has battery support as well. Using sustainable technology!

          You might have wondered where the Six Million Dollar Man went to when the tv series finished. I heard a whisper about this, and on the quiet they worked further on him in the lab and turned out Whyte.

          Remember the starting lines of the $6 million series (with larger horizons now to be called the Six Trillion Dollar Man)::
          Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology.

      • Steve Wrathall 7.1.2
        30 July 2014 at 4:14 pm

        You obviously aren’t reading your “positive” election signs. Don’t worry, no-one else is either.

    • framu 7.2
      30 July 2014 at 12:36 pm

      “mentioned”

      but as policy?

      the fact you arent calling it “policy” is the give away methinks

    • David H 7.3
      30 July 2014 at 1:32 pm

      21 next year.. You can give the Key to the door to John Banks.

  8. disturbed 8
    30 July 2014 at 12:55 pm

    Chooky,

    You shut the NAT parrot up, good for you, if Puckish Rogue is representative of National’s blind following we really need to get rid of the evil Nat’s’ before we sane free thinking folk get infected by their blindness.
    Examples of Nat’s reckless behaviour:

    So teamshonkey go into the election campaign with Smith, Brownlee, Collins, McCully all with recent issues to go with their prior issues.

    Then we have Claudette, Phil, Paula, Pansy,Aaron, Richard with some known some unknown issues and Paula still serving after a willful breach of privacy.

    Complemented by ministers like Bridges, Guy, Foss. Williamson.

    I hope someone in opposition reminds NZ of the ‘higher’ standards on planet key and that they are working for NZ’s elite and overseas owners.
    Those who don’t get paid off and sent on their way.
    They are trying to re-groom this failed despot also: Maurice Williamson. – Don’t forget the biggie as well, Maurice Williams property handyman/Manager!!

    The ex maverick that killed DYI on your very own homes.

    Yes it’s the handyman for rich Neighbour’s such as the non English speaking Chinese zillionare who bought the house

    Maurice Williams recommended next door to him and offered to work on!

    Is he a registered builder under his new regime?

    • Puckish Rogue 8.1
      30 July 2014 at 1:00 pm

      🙂

    • northshoredoc 8.2
      30 July 2014 at 1:09 pm

      Whilst not wishing to comment on Puckish Rogues lack of insight or otherwise, I’d caution you against lining up with Chooky as a sane free thinking person as some of his/her utterances on things medical are from the twilight zone.

      I do realise that this lack of insight in a certain area may not translate across to the political arena but they were pretty out there.

      • Chooky 8.2.1
        30 July 2014 at 4:02 pm

        ever heard of Fascist doctors?…you do your profession a disservice…that is if you really are a doctor and a New Zealander…which I doubt ….you certainly are NOT insightful or a free thinker

        • northshoredoc 8.2.1.1
          30 July 2014 at 5:50 pm

          😕

          • One Anonymous Bloke 8.2.1.1.1
            30 July 2014 at 6:45 pm

            Northshoredoc’s point stands, as Chooky’s right wing* diatribe attests.

            *abusive, messenger shooting, nationalist.

            • Chooky 8.2.1.1.1.1
              30 July 2014 at 10:12 pm

              ?…first time i have ever been called right wing…i wonder where you are coming from?

              • One Anonymous Bloke …
                31 July 2014 at 2:00 pm

                I’m coming from the fact that abusive ad hominem Nationalism is right wing behaviour, as is anti-science gibberish.

        • srylands 8.2.1.2
          31 July 2014 at 9:01 am

          “I do realise that this lack of insight in a certain area may not translate across to the political arena but they were pretty out there.”

          It does translate. Anti vaccination nuts are always general nuts.

          • Chooky 8.2.1.2.1
            31 July 2014 at 10:12 am

            @ srylands …you are a way off topic…as is northshoredoc(sic) and One Anonymous Bloke.

            …the topic was John Key’s National Party partner the Act Party which represents and spearheads big business from overseas in New Zealand

            ….I take it that you are all very sensitive about this Post and are right winger trolls trying to create a diversion!!!!!and are doing your best to character assassinate anyone who posts on the Standard not to you liking as a “nut”

            As you and northshoredoc well know the multi billion dollar vaccination business has been thrashed many times on this site…

            and amongst so called “anti vaccination nuts ” are quite a few doctors , scientists, immunologists and those who are experts in the study of vaccines ….the numbers increase with each passing year and the more Mothers who are educated with tertiary qualifications choose and gain confidence to speak out after watching the undocumented side effects in their children and the ineffectiveness of measles vaccines …it was my own doctor who advised me NOT to vaccinate the children…i ignored this advice to get them into a university creche…much to my regret.

            ( I am not “dumb” and I am not “mad” or “crazy” as Northshoredoc has accused me of being many many times…nor am I an “Anti vaccination nut” or a “general nut”…. ….but the crazed name calling and denigration response from you and northshoredoc makes me think you are working for vaccination industry and have a vested interest in it

        • srylands 8.2.1.3
          31 July 2014 at 9:02 am

          Oh so it is spreading. Someone is insightful and suddenly they are not who they say they are and (gasp) not a New Zealander.

          • Chooky 8.2.1.3.1
            31 July 2014 at 10:21 am

            in my experience New Zealand doctors are open to discussion on vaccination

            …they are respectful of women and Mothers opinions and they advise and they give evidence for their advice

            …in my case I had doctor who advised against vaccination for very young babies and children and who gave me unsolicited huge amounts of medical evidence to read …i have always had respect for this doctor …even although in the end I went against this doctors advice out of expediency

            northshoredoc( sic) has done nothing but denigrate me as “dumb” or “mad”…every time i open my mouth on vaccination…that is why i dont think he is a New Zealander or a doctor ….and that maybe he is profiting from the multi billion dollar vaccination industry

            • northshoredoc 8.2.1.3.1.1
              31 July 2014 at 1:29 pm

              “..in my experience New Zealand doctors are open to discussion on vaccination.

              …they are respectful of women and Mothers opinions and they advise and they give evidence for their advice”

              Yes they certainly are.

              “…in my case I had doctor who advised against vaccination for very young babies and children and who gave me unsolicited huge amounts of medical evidence to read …i have always had respect for this doctor …even although in the end I went against this doctors advice out of expediency”

              Not sure what relevance that has ?

              “northshoredoc( sic) has done nothing but denigrate me as “dumb” or “mad”…every time i open my mouth on vaccination…that is why i dont think he is a New Zealander or a doctor ….and that maybe he is profiting from the multi billion dollar vaccination industry”

              I have tried many times to engage you on the subject of vaccination and have produced numerous peer reviewed articles which support the safety and efficacy of vaccination as delivered in NZ, in response you have provided anecdote, unscientific and unsupported opinion and linked to websites that promote outright lies to denigrate and drive people away from vaccination.

              For the record I am a New Zealand citizen and a practising local registered medical practitioner who has no shares or any financial interest whatsoever in vaccinations

            • srylands 8.2.1.3.1.2
              31 July 2014 at 1:36 pm

              “that is why i dont think he is a New Zealander or a doctor ….and that maybe he is profiting from the multi billion dollar vaccination industry”

              Good grief. He denigrates you as mad for a good reason.

              Because you supply links to bullshit propaganda on vaccination – propaganda that kills – you think this guy is not a New Zealander (oh the horror!) or worse he has financial interests in drug companies.

              At least Coling Craig with the moon landing thing is a harmless twit. Your views kill children. You really need to get a grip.

              • vto …
                31 July 2014 at 1:47 pm

                your policies killed 29 men at pike river arsehole. actual policies, not just views.

  9. Chooky 9
    30 July 2014 at 1:04 pm

    lol…Puckish Rogue …your smiley face makes me laugh…however i hope your side does NOT WIN!

    • Puckish Rogue 9.1
      30 July 2014 at 1:47 pm

      We all want whats best for NZ, where we differ is who can do it the best

      • greywarbler 9.1.1
        30 July 2014 at 3:05 pm

        lolx100

      • Weepus beard 9.1.2
        30 July 2014 at 5:30 pm

        @ PR 9.1

        Sorry but that is not what those from the ideological right claim at all.

        Their (your) road to truth and happiness is based on personal responsibility and self reliance. By definition this means “I want what’s best for myself”, and then presumably “everything else will fall into place”.

        The opposite is true of the ideological left. Their (our) path to social justice and a happy society is collective responsibility, or “I want what’s best for all of us”.

        • newsense 9.1.2.1
          30 July 2014 at 9:33 pm

          Correct- and the best way to get what’s good for me is to claim that it is good for everyone…

      • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1.3
        30 July 2014 at 6:42 pm

        How will you measure who does it best Puckish Rogue? Put your money where your lip service is.

        If you can’t think of any benchmarks I’m sure there are some lying around somewhere. I’m picking you won’t like per capita GDP or employment levels or government debt or child poverty or PISA scores or higher wages so what then?

  10. Tautoko Viper 10
    30 July 2014 at 1:26 pm

    Bulk funding of schools, hence Novopay takeover
    Vouchers for education
    Performance Pay for Teachers

    • greywarbler 10.1
      30 July 2014 at 3:10 pm

      @ Tautoko Viper 1.26
      Are you saying that the working end of the education system is being set up as a Little Red Riding Hood setting off to do their good deeds in a good, normal way but is to be an innocent sacrifice to the Big Bad Wolf that is going to gobble up our good and honest practitioners?

      • Tautoko Viper 10.1.1
        30 July 2014 at 7:03 pm

        Yes. This war on education started in the 1990’s.
        I have kept a copy of “extracts from SSC letter to Schools Consultative Group.
        ” dated 9 July 1993
        Title: Furthering Education Reforms.

        Subheading 1. On the purpose of bulk funding as a cost-reduction mechanism

        Subheading 2. On the intention to replace a national contract with locally negotiated site contracts.

        Subheading 3: On the contractual model of education delivery

        Subheading 4: On the purpose of advancing IT in schools.
        14. Telecommunications in education is indeed an exciting development but, if it is not to become an additional and potentially very large expenditure in the Education budget, it must be recognised for what it is: an alternative to books, equipment, buildings and teachers for the achievement of knowledge and skills.”

        Ground Hog Day if Nats win!

  11. disturbed 11
    30 July 2014 at 9:06 pm

    We free minded people are able to see though the mind games Nat’s are using.
    This is similar to the mind control techniques used over the German public by Goebbels storm troopers to prepare them for Hitler’s radical plans.

    First they must believe in the leader with fanaticism and say it long enough until it become the belief system.

    Right wing brain washing and that is what we all are witnessing here.

    We are still outside the belief system and see through the hollow messengers of teamkey.

    Of course when the economy begins to fold as is now occurring we will see these sad folk vanish into thin air.

    $40 Billion NAT’s have borrowed and now it has left our grandchildren with a huge debt and no assets to fall back onto to ease the next depression.
    Crown debt ratio to GDP in 2008 was only 6%
    2013 it stands at record 26% (Treasury statistics)

    Remember:

    Key said as he gave us the “promise not to make us all tenants in our own land”.

    He will be somewhere else by then.

    He has already warned us all several years ago on TV that “when every gets negative I’m out of here.”

    He will be outside the country where we cant reach him.

    He cant face the music, it’s not in his DNA.

  12. Chooky 12
    30 July 2014 at 10:41 pm

    ‘ACT show their true racist colours’

    By Martyn Bradbury / July 30, 2014 / 18 Comments

    “At some point ACTs low poll ratings were going to have to force ACT to stop pretending to be some free market under grad fantasy and get them back to their true purpose as a political vehicle for racist suburbanites whose selfishness directs all decisions…..

    • Lloyd 12.1
      30 July 2014 at 11:25 pm

      Act wants one set of laws for all the country.

      Bloody good idea.

      When compensation is awarded to Iwi they should get 100% return of the value of lands and other assets taken by the crown, not the 10% maximum that has been given out in treaty settlements so far. Lets hear ACT arguing for a retroactive increase of all settlements so far paid out by the crown to be increased to a 100% pay-out within six months. After that is sorted then maybe some of the other supports given to Maori specifically could be removed from the statutes.

  13. Chooky 13
    31 July 2014 at 11:15 am

    Just how crazy is ACTs Whyte Supremacy?

    By Martyn Bradbury / July 31, 2014

    “Two reasons why Jamie Whyte’s claim that Maori are as legally privileged as 17th Century French Aristocracy is possibly the most stupid thing anyone has ever said…