New Zealand Politics, the Ardern years

[Airfix]

She's handled the Covid pandemic more competently than any other world leader.

Anyone care to discuss her politics ?

It'd be more interesting than boring Brexit.

[Greebo]

As seen on twitter . .

"It's already 2021 in New Zealand. That's what happens when you have a woman Prime Minister who knows what she's doing. UK lagging behind again."
Pretty much sums it up for me.

[Airfix]

Like it

New Zealand politics has always been interesting.
They stopped subsidising their agricultural industry in the 1980's.
They stopped operating an offensive military air force in the 2000's.
Jacinda banned assault weapons immediately when a rampage massacre took place in the country.

But beyond that I don't actually know a great deal about NZ politics.

[The Atheist]

Originally Posted by Airfix

But beyond that I don't actually know a great deal about NZ politics.

It's a while back, but the subject's already been done, and the only update is that house prices are up another 5% since I started this thread: http://www.internationalskeptics.com...d.php?t=347352

tl;dr version in the title: International hero, domestic failure.

[Roger Ramjets]

Originally Posted by The Atheist

It's a while back, but the subject's already been done... tl;dr version in the title: International hero, domestic failure.

That was last year, and a thread that died on Nov 14. Since then...

New Zealand Economy Surges Out of Recession In V-Shaped Recovery

Quote:

Gross domestic product surged 14% from the second quarter, when it contracted a revised 11%, Statistics New Zealand said Thursday in Wellington. Economists forecast a 12.9% gain. From a year earlier, the economy grew 0.4%, confounding the consensus forecast for a 1.8% decline.

The V-shaped economic rebound is “vindication of the Covid-19 ‘elimination’ strategy New Zealand has pursued, as it has underpinned a strong economic recovery from what has been an unprecedented shock,” said Paul Bloxham, chief Australia and New Zealand economist at HSBC in Sydney...

The New Zealand dollar rose after the GDP report and bought 71.29 U.S. cents at 3:52 p.m. in Wellington. The currency has gained 5.5% the past three months, and was appreciating ahead of the release after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced plans to offer Covid-19 vaccines to the entire population in the second half of 2021.

The economy’s quick rebound to pre-Covid levels was a rare feat, said Stephen Toplis, head of research at Bank of New Zealand in Wellington.

“We can only identify three other countries that have achieved the ‘full recovery’: Taiwan, China and Ireland,” he said. “New Zealand is definitely in a very small minority.”

The third-quarter expansion was driven by construction and services industries -- in particular retailing, accommodation and restaurants, the statistics agency said.

Manufacturing output rose 17% from the second quarter
Construction jumped 52%
Household consumption increased 14.8% led by cars, televisions and domestic air travel
Investment surged 27% led by residential building
Exports rose 4.9%, while imports gained 10.6%
GDP per capita climbed 13.8%

Economic Weekly: Construction lifts as housing shortage grew in 2019

Quote:

Building Activity figures released by StatsNZ last week confirmed that construction activity continued its post-lockdown recovery without skipping a beat. Building work completed over the September quarter lifted a whopping 35% - with residential building activity leading the charge and activity surging to above pre-COVID levels. Strong demand from an on-going need for additional housing continues to support residential construction activity. Earlier this year, when expectations for the economy were grim, we had expected that pending construction plans would be ditched amid heightened economic uncertainty and rising unemployment. However, NZ’s stoic ability to keep calm and carry on proved economists wrong – the NZ economy quickly pulled itself together after lockdown and NZ housing demand is possibly the strongest since the 2006/07 housing boom...

An outcome of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic is the opportunity for NZ to finally deal with its housing shortage. Population growth over this year is set to be very soft by historical standards, due to limited MIQ capacity capping NZ net migration (indeed over winter, NZ has recorded net outflows with departures outstripping arrivals). But with construction holding up at record levels, NZ can finally make a good progress in reducing the extent of the housing shortage. NZ can probably overbuild for a good couple of years before housing stock is at risk of being ‘over supplied’.

[Airfix]

Can New Zealanders afford the house price rise ? If yes, no problem. If no, what can be done to address the rise other than building more ?

[smartcooky]

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

That was last year, and a thread that died on Nov 14. Since then...

New Zealand Economy Surges Out of Recession In V-Shaped Recovery

Economic Weekly: Construction lifts as housing shortage grew in 2019

This somewhat gives the "domestic failure" claim a swift, firm kick in the nuts doesn't it?

From my perspective, my business has recovered considerably, to the point that my accountant thinks I could pay back my personal Covid Wage subsidy, but hold off paying back the ones for my employees until we see the actual March 31 figures at the end of the financial year.

[The Atheist]

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

That was last year, and a thread that died on Nov 14. Since then...

We've seen the biggest quarterly increase in unemployment ever, house prices have increased by 20% in the past year, in what was already the world's least affordable markets, the social housing waiting list increases by 22%, and 75 charities band together to highlight increasing poverty and ask for more money and resources.

Originally Posted by Airfix

If no, what can be done to address the rise other than building more ?

Not even that. Labour promised 16,000 new social houses in their first term.

They built 258.

Originally Posted by smartcooky

This somewhat gives the "domestic failure" claim a swift, firm kick in the nuts doesn't it?

Only if you keep one eye firmly closed and ignore poor people, which is fair enough, because they don't count.

I'm not even going to mention things like this:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/hea...-staff-burnout

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/pol...tional-problem

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/christ...ZY2UTXVTIHMKU/

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/baby-d...6MOPZAH7MD6MQ/

[The Atheist]

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

New Zealand Economy Surges Out of Recession In V-Shaped Recovery

I just want to add that the recovery - and even more so out strength compared to other countries - actually makes the inaction even worse, from my view.

Cheering about 20% increase in house prices doesn't help the families sleeping in cars. I can take you to a park less than 8 km from my house where at least 20 families are living in cars, and none of them are gaining any benefit at all from our wealth.

If kids forced to live in a car doesn't scream failure, I don't know what does.

[Roger Ramjets]

Originally Posted by The Atheist

If kids forced to live in a car doesn't scream failure, I don't know what does.

There are ~2.5 million homeless children in the US. If 20 families living in cars screams failure, what does 2.5 million scream?

10 Facts About Homelessness in New Zealand

Quote:

1. About 1% of New Zealanders are homeless. New Zealand’s homelessness rate is the highest among the 35 high-income countries in the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). It is important to note, however, that New Zealand’s definition of homelessness, as explained above, is much broader than many other nations.

8. In 2020, the government launched the Aotearoa New Zealand Homelessness Action Plan. The plan strives to both reduce and prevent homelessness in New Zealand and will continue through 2023. The government hopes to support over 10,000 people who are either at risk or already homeless. The Homelessness Action Plan is an important step forward in the government’s fight against homelessness. Though the plan may not aid New Zealand’s entire homeless population, it can help a great majority.

9. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit New Zealand, the government worked to provide shelter to those living on the streets. As New Zealand’s national lockdown began, the government opened motel rooms to homeless New Zealanders who had previously been living on the streets. The government made this decision in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. However, as a result, it has also virtually eliminated the cities’ problem of “rough sleeping,” or homeless people sleeping or living outdoors.

10. Moving forward, the government plans to provide for many of the country’s homeless. After the national lockdown ends, what will happen to the New Zealanders who had been living on the streets? The government has pledged to ensure that 1,200 motel rooms remain available for homeless New Zealanders until April 2021. There are many other homeless New Zealanders not in this category, and the government seems to be looking out for them as well. The May 2020 federal budget included plans to construct 8,000 new public housing places. With luck, these new construction projects will help housing applicants find a home.

Let's not scream 'failure!' too soon. The Ardern government has only been in power for 3 years, the last of which was dominated by the pandemic. Before that you had 9 years of a conservative 'business friendly' government that handed out tax cuts while attempting to minimize the severity of the homelessness problem.

Fact or fiction: NZ's 41,000 homeless

Quote:

22 Aug, 2017
The National-led Government is under pressure at this election over its record on housing, especially its work to get people out of cars and garages and into secure housing...

Social Housing Minister Amy Adams... says the number of homeless in New Zealand is actually around 4200....

Twyford is referring to an Otago University study from last year, which found that the "severely housing deprived" - or homeless - population in New Zealand was around 41,200.

Twyford is referring to the number of people sleeping rough, living in cars or garages, or living in emergency or temporary shelters.

While that may seem to capture a broad range of living situations, it actually matches the Government's official definition of homelessness.

Looks like the 'failure' was well underway under the previous administration's watch, but they they tried to make it sound 10 times less than it actually was.

Or did they? Without an 'apples to apples' comparison we don't really know how bad New Zealand is doing compared to the rest of the World, or even compared to the previous government.

[Roger Ramjets]

Originally Posted by Airfix

Can New Zealanders afford the house price rise ? If yes, no problem. If no, what can be done to address the rise other than building more ?

The Atheist has 50 several ways:-

Originally Posted by The Atheist

Institute rent controls
Amend Reserve Bank legislation
Several varieties of capital gain, land and wealth tax
Free up land for building
Institute fast-track approval for large housing projects
Rapidly expand social housing

most of which suggest a heavy-handed communist socialist approach. Maybe that would work in New Zealand, though I can imagine quite a lot of push back from those who own land etc.

Fast-track approval for large housing projects sounds like a good idea, so long as it doesn't produce slum conditions like has occurred in other countries that tried it.

One thing missing from that list is discouraging immigration, but I'm guessing most people coming into the country now are NZ citizens returning from Covid-ravaged parts of Europe or the US. Kind of hard to stop them, and I suspect they might be a bit upset to find out the government gave their property to some homeless family (I would say serves them right, but...).

[smartcooky]

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

<polite snip>

Let's not scream 'failure!' too soon. The Ardern government has only been in power for 3 years, the last of which was dominated by the pandemic. Before that you had 9 years of a conservative 'business friendly' government that handed out tax cuts while attempting to minimize the severity of the pretending homelessness was not a problem.

<polite snip>

FTFY

Remember this was a government that had Paula Bennet as a welfare/social development minister... a hard-nosed arrogant cow who

a. wanted solo parents to do part time work when their children turned six - as if there is nothing for parents to do while their children are at school

b. openly stated that some people deserve "fewer human rights" than others.

c. wanted the Police to have the power to search anytime, anywhere without a warrant or probable cause

I have always considered her as punishing those at the bottom in the lower socio-economic levels rather than defending them. To paraphrase Jeff Daniels' character from The Newsroom (Will McAvoy) she made war on poor people not poverty.

[cullennz]

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

There are ~2.5 million homeless children in the US. If 20 families living in cars screams failure, what does 2.5 million scream?

10 Facts About Homelessness in New Zealand

Let's not scream 'failure!' too soon. The Ardern government has only been in power for 3 years, the last of which was dominated by the pandemic. Before that you had 9 years of a conservative 'business friendly' government that handed out tax cuts while attempting to minimize the severity of the homelessness problem.

Fact or fiction: NZ's 41,000 homeless


Looks like the 'failure' was well underway under the previous administration's watch, but they they tried to make it sound 10 times less than it actually was.

Or did they? Without an 'apples to apples' comparison we don't really know how bad New Zealand is doing compared to the rest of the World, or even compared to the previous government.

Whataboutism.

When are you going to ask when the current lot aren't actually doing anything?

They have had three years.

How did Kiwibuild go?

[smartcooky]

Originally Posted by cullennz

Whataboutism.

When are you going to ask when the current lot aren't actually doing anything?

They have had three years.

How did Kiwibuild go?

The Nats had nine years.... NINE LONG ******* YEARS of John Key instituting crap policies, tax cuts for the rich, beating up on the poor, screwing over small businesses while giving big, foreign owned businesses concessions and tax breaks, stuffing up the environment for everyone, and, since we are talking about housing, allowing non-resident foreigners to buy up land and drive up house prices ....and you want to get down on Labour for not having everything Jonkey stuffed up in those nine years, fixed in three!!?

Give . Me . A. ******* . Break!!

[cullennz]

Originally Posted by smartcooky

The Nats had nine years.... NINE LONG ******* YEARS of John Key instituting crap policies, tax cuts for the rich, beating up on the poor, screwing over small businesses while giving big, foreign owned businesses concessions and tax breaks, stuffing up the environment for everyone, and, since we are talking about housing, allowing non-resident foreigners to buy up land and drive up house prices ....and you want to get down on Labour for not having everything Jonkey stuffed up in those nine years, fixed in three!!?

Give . Me . A. ******* . Break!!

The last Labour lot had nine years. NINE LONG ****** Years.

beating up on the poor, screwing over small businesses while giving big, foreign owned businesses concessions and tax breaks, stuffing up the environment for everyone, and, since we are talking about housing, allowing non-resident foreigners to buy up land and drive up house prices

Yadda yadda yadda

Edit: and fixed in 3 years everything no. But at least some ******** thing

[smartcooky]

Originally Posted by cullennz

The last Labour lot had nine years. NINE LONG ****** Years.

beating up on the poor

No, The fifth Labour Goverment, increased the minimum wage, removed the interest on student loans for full-time and low-income students while they were still studying, reversed National's ACC deregulation, and introduced legislation to increase taxation for those on higher incomes. They also introduced paid parental leave of 12 weeks, increasing it to 14 weeks by 2008. They also introduced Working for Families which significantly improved social welfare assistance for low-income families and contributed to a reduction in child poverty from 28% in 2004 to 22% in 2007.

Originally Posted by cullennz

screwing over small businesses

No again, under the fifth Labour government, small businesses prospered more than at any other time in the country's history.

Originally Posted by cullennz

while giving big, foreign owned businesses concessions and tax breaks

No again, under the fifth Labour government, foreign owned businesses operating in NZ were made to pay a bigger share of tax.

Originally Posted by cullennz

stuffing up the environment for everyone

Again, no. Under the fifth Labour government, environmental protections were increased. Local councils became mandated to require environmental impact reports for any land developments that were to be undertaken under their district plans. They also passed the Climate Change Response Act 2002 in order to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, Emissions Trading Scheme was enacted through the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading) Amendment Act 2008.

Originally Posted by cullennz

and, since we are talking about housing, allowing non-resident foreigners to buy up land and drive up house prices

And again, no. It was the policy of the fifth Labour government not not allow non-resident New Zealanders to buy homes in NZ. A person could not live in another country, and own a house here as a "holiday home". They had to live here. It was John Key who moved to change this policy. Labour also passed the Housing Restructuring Amendment Bill (2000) which provided for income-related rents and set them at 25% of household income. This reversed National Government's market rental strategy, and made community housing much more affordable than it had been.

You should learn a few things about the politics of your own country before shooting BS from the hip!

[cullennz]

Originally Posted by smartcooky

No, The fifth Labour Goverment, increased the minimum wage, removed the interest on student loans for full-time and low-income students while they were still studying, reversed National's ACC deregulation, and introduced legislation to increase taxation for those on higher incomes. They also introduced paid parental leave of 12 weeks, increasing it to 14 weeks by 2008. They also introduced Working for Families which significantly improved social welfare assistance for low-income families and contributed to a reduction in child poverty from 28% in 2004 to 22% in 2007.



No again, under the fifth Labour government, small businesses prospered more than at any other time in the country's history.



No again, under the fifth Labour government, foreign owned businesses operating in NZ were made to pay a bigger share of tax.



Again, no. Under the fifth Labour government, environmental protections were increased. Local councils became mandated to require environmental impact reports for any land developments that were to be undertaken under their district plans. They also passed the Climate Change Response Act 2002 in order to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, Emissions Trading Scheme was enacted through the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading) Amendment Act 2008.



And again, no. It was the policy of the fifth Labour government not not allow non-resident New Zealanders to buy homes in NZ. A person could not live in another country, and own a house here as a "holiday home". They had to live here. It was John Key who moved to change this policy. Labour also passed the Housing Restructuring Amendment Bill (2000) which provided for income-related rents and set them at 25% of household income. This reversed National Government's market rental strategy, and made community housing much more affordable than it had been.

You should learn a few things about the politics of your own country before shooting BS from the hip!

Give me a break.

The Nats not that I would vote for them raised the benefit for the first time above normal in 30 years.

Small businesses didn't prosper. And foreign businesses didn't pay more, heard of Google and Ebay and Water bottling companies Labour promised to tax?.

The Kyota protocol the Nats boosted with signing the Doha Amendment


Working for families has worked out a poison chalice to just subsidise employers not to have to pay more because the govt does it.

The rental subsidies just got landlord raising rents to match it. Which ironically Labour supporters moan about.

Free uni for the first year did jack.

They haven't built **** all they promised, planted **** all they promised

And when they weren't sacking ministers for absolute ineptititude they were trying to keep people related to ministers names secret while sexual assault trials and tribunals were going on.

Who knows how much they have paid out.

Current one is their 3rd in charge accusing a employee of being a rapist for zero reason and having to apologise.

And this is apparently the "workers party"

[smartcooky]

Originally Posted by cullennz

Give me a break.

The Nats not that I would vote for them raised the benefit for the first time above normal in 30 years.

What's "normal"

Originally Posted by cullennz

Small businesses didn't prosper.

Rubbish. You are completely wrong about that. I would know, I have been a small business owner for 17 years, as well as a member of the CNZBA!

Originally Posted by cullennz

And foreign businesses didn't pay more

Rubbish. I posted the facts for you, did you read them, or did you shoot more of your BS from the hip again?

Originally Posted by cullennz

heard of Google and Ebay and Water bottling companies Labour promised to tax?.

And...?

Originally Posted by cullennz

The Kyota protocol the Nats boosted with signing the Doha Amendment

And so they bloody well should too!!

Originally Posted by cullennz

Working for families has worked out a poison chalice to just subsidise employers not to have to pay more because the govt does it.

Your understanding of how this works us almost as deficient as your understanding of US politics i.e., you effectively know nothing!

I employ four people; one is full time, and three of them are on Working for Families and work the maximum allowed 20 hours per week. Without WFF, I would not be able to employ all three.... one of them would lose their job.

Let that sink in before you quick-draw and shoot off more ill-informed BS.

Originally Posted by cullennz

The rental subsidies just got landlord raising rents to match it.

Since most rents were already over 40% of household income, and the maximum allowed was 25% of household income, please explain how "raising to match it" is mathematically possible...

Oh, and be sure to show your work on this one!

Originally Posted by cullennz

Free uni for the first year did jack.

Helped both my daughters get their degrees! Neither of them are called "Jack"

[cullennz]

Originally Posted by smartcooky

What's "normal"



Rubbish. You are completely wrong about that. I would know, I have been a small business owner for 17 years, as well as a member of the CNZBA!

Bollocks. Please provide proof

Rubbish. I posted the facts for you, did you read them, or did you shoot more of your BS from the hip again?

No you didn't

And...?

And they lied?

And so they bloody well should too!!

They did. You find some reason to ignore it

Your understanding of how this works us almost as deficient as your understanding of US politics i.e., you effectively know nothing!

Almost worth pointing out this is breaking forum rules attacking posters, but can't be ***** as think I am missing your thin skin

I employ four people; one is full time, and three of them are on Working for Families and work the maximum allowed 20 hours per week. Without WFF, I would not be able to employ all three.... one of them would lose their job.

Absolute ********, as you would need to pay less

Let that sink in before you quick-draw and shoot off more ill-informed BS.



Since most rents were already over 40% of household income, and the maximum allowed was 25% of household income, please explain how "raising to match it" is mathematically possible...

Oh, and be sure to show your work on this one!

Google Wellington Uni rental houses rent subsidy

Actually I will just do it for you, as it is easier

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/pro...-soon-trade-me



Helped both my daughters get their degrees! Neither of them are called "Jack"

Congrats genuinely. No more students went to uni than normal. In fact less, Can google that for you too if you can't be bothered

[cullennz]

I also noticed you conveniently avoided Labours sexual and physical abuse of staff and kids issue, when they weren't getting them smashed on free **** with walk in fridges and no supervision.

[cullennz]

Originally Posted by smartcooky

Your understanding of how this works us almost as deficient as your understanding of US politics i.e., you effectively know nothing!

Actually I think I have just worked something out.

I think you might be "allegedly" "In my mind" "With no proof, so forgive me if I am wrong,

Edited by zooterkin:

<SNIP> Edited for rule 11. Please take any issues regarding moderation to FMF

[The Atheist]

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

There are ~2.5 million homeless children in the US. If 20 families living in cars screams failure, what does 2.5 million scream?

You'll get no argument from me on US being an abject failure to its poor.

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

Looks like the 'failure' was well underway under the previous administration's watch, but they they tried to make it sound 10 times less than it actually was.

Irrelevant, especially when you recognise that Helen Clark's 9 years started the rot.

And for the record, it was Cinderella herself who stated that she was going to solve the problems.

Originally Posted by smartcooky

....and you want to get down on Labour for not having everything Jonkey stuffed up in those nine years, fixed in three!!?

Getting a little emotional about it, mate.

You could at least try to be realistic.

Nobody expects Labour to have fixed the problems in three years. Just starting would be enough for me, but they have done nothing - they've say back and patted themselves on the back for taking someone else's advice and beating the virus.

They threw billions at employers as wage subsidies, which has been great for employers, while ignoring the real problems at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder.

They paper over the cracks instead of addressing the cause: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/charge...XNIUIB4P63SDY/

Originally Posted by smartcooky

No, The fifth Labour Goverment, increased the minimum wage

The minimum wage is a ridiculously inaccurate measure. Most recipients see no change, because increases merely decrease WFF and housing accommodation supplements.

[smartcooky]

Never mind... you can't argue with a rabid Nat!

[Samson]

Originally Posted by The Atheist

I just want to add that the recovery - and even more so out strength compared to other countries - actually makes the inaction even worse, from my view.

Cheering about 20% increase in house prices doesn't help the families sleeping in cars. I can take you to a park less than 8 km from my house where at least 20 families are living in cars, and none of them are gaining any benefit at all from our wealth.

If kids forced to live in a car doesn't scream failure, I don't know what does.

You do not weep alone.
I know that Trevor Mallard killed in 2002 the opportunity to compel literacy as a national prerequisite that could empty prisons, the maligned Donna Awatere would have instigated phonetic education.
This is where the catastrophe continued.

[Samson]

Originally Posted by smartcooky

Since most rents were already over 40% of household income, and the maximum allowed was 25% of household income, please explain how "raising to match it" is mathematically possible...

"

Ah the sacred cow of market rents.
These are destroying New Zealand, it is quite absurd for foreigners to applaud Ardern when she supports rising house prices and rising rents.
She does so to guarantee the annexation of National votes in perpetuity.

Utterly disgusting.

[Roger Ramjets]

Originally Posted by The Atheist

And for the record, it was Cinderella herself who stated that she was going to solve the problems.

Oh dear. Just like 'progressives' in the US, no progress is ever fast enough or radical enough for you. But at least we don't accuse our leaders of 'abject failure' for not achieving their goals less than 3 years into their first term.

Quote:

Nobody expects Labour to have fixed the problems in three years. Just starting would be enough for me, but they have done nothing

Pardon my ignorance, but it doesn't look like 'nothing' from here.

Quote:

They threw billions at employers as wage subsidies, which has been great for employers, while ignoring the real problems at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder.

A better policy than just sending out 'Trump checks' to everyone (even Americans living in New Zealand) regardless of need. Since the lockdowns force businesses to close, the least disruptive thing to do is subsidize wages so employees keep their jobs and the businesses they work for stay solvent. That way they can return to normal once the lockdowns are over.

But of course if your motive is to boost your popularity then handing out 'free' money to voters is a much better idea. Never mind that it only provides a short-term artificial boost to the economy as the money trickles up - by the time it runs out of steam you will have (hopefully) been reelected.

Originally Posted by The Atheist

The minimum wage is a ridiculously inaccurate measure. Most recipients see no change, because increases merely decrease WFF and housing accommodation supplements.

Hey, at least you have a reasonable minimum wage and generous welfare benefits. I am theoretically employed but in practice Covid has reduced my income to nothing. No Christmas presents for me! I sure hope Biden can turn things around...

You keep calling Jacinda Ardern "Cinderella", just like a certain US president who loves to put women down by calling them names. You blame her for all the ills of your country while ignoring the previous (in)actions of others (mostly men) and barely acknowledging her great leadership in dealing with the virus etc., suggesting to me that you might have another reason than simply a desire to see the best outcome.

I bet you think that if you were prime minister you could just wave your magic wand and poof!, solve the homeless problem by turning pumkins into houses (or one of your other 50 ways). After all, you have all the attributes Jacinda lacks - a superior intellect, a cynical rational mind not burdened by empathy, a Y chromosome.

[Samson]

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

Oh dear. Just like 'progressives' in the US, no progress is ever fast enough or radical enough for you. But at least we don't accuse our leaders of 'abject failure' for not achieving their goals less than 3 years into their first term.

Pardon my ignorance, but it doesn't look like 'nothing' from here.

A better policy than just sending out 'Trump checks' to everyone (even Americans living in New Zealand) regardless of need. Since the lockdowns force businesses to close, the least disruptive thing to do is subsidize wages so employees keep their jobs and the businesses they work for stay solvent. That way they can return to normal once the lockdowns are over.

But of course if your motive is to boost your popularity then handing out 'free' money to voters is a much better idea. Never mind that it only provides a short-term artificial boost to the economy as the money trickles up - by the time it runs out of steam you will have (hopefully) been reelected.

Hey, at least you have a reasonable minimum wage and generous welfare benefits. I am theoretically employed but in practice Covid has reduced my income to nothing. No Christmas presents for me! I sure hope Biden can turn things around...

You keep calling Jacinda Ardern "Cinderella", just like a certain US president who loves to put women down by calling them names. You blame her for all the ills of your country while ignoring the previous (in)actions of others (mostly men) and barely acknowledging her great leadership in dealing with the virus etc., suggesting to me that you might have another reason than simply a desire to see the best outcome.

I bet you think that if you were prime minister you could just wave your magic wand and poof!, solve the homeless problem by turning pumkins into houses (or one of your other 50 ways). After all, you have all the attributes Jacinda lacks - a superior intellect, a cynical rational mind not burdened by empathy, a Y chromosome.

I can assure you that TA is correct in his comments. Your arguments are essentially from incredulity that an international star is a local self serving disaster.

[Samson]

New Zealand is the 167th most densely populated country in the world!
Auckland has the tightest winter/summer temperature range outside the tropics in the world. Water is in infinite supply, and quality soil abounds. I am appalled at our wilful neglect of the well being of vast tracts of the population.
Disclosure of interest:
It is not my job to solve these matters because I never sought public office.

[The Atheist]

Originally Posted by smartcooky

Never mind... you can't argue with a rabid Nat!

That's it? Your sole response to a reasoned and factual answer is that I'm a rabid Nat?

That's so far beyond laughable I'm almost embarrassed to point out that I didn't just vote Labour, I spent my own money helping Cinderella and her team of gutless clowns get elected.

The joke's actually on me - after 40 years of politics, I still haven't learned that politicians of all stripes are self-serving ***** and got sucked into thinking this Labour team might be ok.

I was wrong, mea culpa.

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

But at least we don't accuse our leaders of 'abject failure' for not achieving their goals less than 3 years into their first term.

So I should just ignore the fact that they missed their prime goal by 98.4%.

Good deal.

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

But of course if your motive is to boost your popularity then handing out 'free' money to voters is a much better idea. Never mind that it only provides a short-term artificial boost to the economy as the money trickles up - by the time it runs out of steam you will have (hopefully) been reelected.

Yet, that's exactly what Labour has done.

Property owners even deserted their natural party, National, to vote for Labour, because she was making them rich.

How many times do I need to point out that an economy that enables people to earn 2-3 times as much from their tax-free capital gains than others can through wages is not a way of improving the lives at the bottom?

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

You keep calling Jacinda Ardern "Cinderella", just like a certain US president who loves to put women down by calling them names.

Even better, she's admitted to hating it.

I think it's entirely apt from a satirical point of view, because she's actually the anti-Cinderella - instead of being the poor relative, she's the privileged twat ******** all over her poor relatives.

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

You blame her for all the ills of your country...

Utter nonsense strawman, verifiable by a simple reading of my posts. I'm blaming her for being gutless and taking no action on problems she admits to knowing about.

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

After all, you have all the attributes Jacinda lacks - a superior intellect, a cynical rational mind not burdened by empathy, a Y chromosome.

Another utterly feeble attempt to paint genuine, factual criticism as sexism.

I voted for Ardern. I spent money helping her get elected.
I voted for Helen Clark in four consecutive elections.

I'm sexist as hell.

[smartcooky]

Originally Posted by The Atheist

That's it? Your sole response to a reasoned and factual answer is that I'm a rabid Nat?

I wasn't replying to you. In fact, I wasn't even talking to you at all (note that I haven't even quoted you in this thread until this post)

I have long since given up trying to make sense anything you have to say.

[smartcooky]

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

Oh dear. Just like 'progressives' in the US, no progress is ever fast enough or radical enough for you. But at least we don't accuse our leaders of 'abject failure' for not achieving their goals less than 3 years into their first term.

Yup, exactly

You seem to have a far better grasp about Kiwi politics than either cullenz or TheAtheist

Nats in Opposition: why isn't this done, and that done? You said you were going to do this, and this, and this, why aren't they done yet?

Nats in government: These things take time, the profit will trickle down to the poor, we need more than one term to do this.

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

Pardon my ignorance, but it doesn't look like 'nothing' from here.

A better policy than just sending out 'Trump checks' to everyone (even Americans living in New Zealand) regardless of need. Since the lockdowns force businesses to close, the least disruptive thing to do is subsidize wages so employees keep their jobs and the businesses they work for stay solvent. That way they can return to normal once the lockdowns are over.

But of course if your motive is to boost your popularity then handing out 'free' money to voters is a much better idea. Never mind that it only provides a short-term artificial boost to the economy as the money trickles up - by the time it runs out of steam you will have (hopefully) been reelected.

Hey, at least you have a reasonable minimum wage and generous welfare benefits. I am theoretically employed but in practice Covid has reduced my income to nothing. No Christmas presents for me! I sure hope Biden can turn things around...

You keep calling Jacinda Ardern "Cinderella", just like a certain US president who loves to put women down by calling them names. You blame her for all the ills of your country while ignoring the previous (in)actions of others (mostly men) and barely acknowledging her great leadership in dealing with the virus etc., suggesting to me that you might have another reason than simply a desire to see the best outcome.

I bet you think that if you were prime minister you could just wave your magic wand and poof!, solve the homeless problem by turning pumkins into houses (or one of your other 50 ways). After all, you have all the attributes Jacinda lacks - a superior intellect, a cynical rational mind not burdened by empathy, a Y chromosome.

What you probably haven't heard of is TPS - Tall Poppy Syndrome... Germans have schadenfreude, we have "The Great Kiwi Knocking Machine".

Kiwis excel at a lot of things such as sports, innovation and ingenuity, but unfortunately there is another side of that coin. We also excel at moaning and whinging when things go wrong instead of getting off our arses and doing something about it. There is a certain part of our society that likes nothing better than to take people down a peg or two for the shear pleasure of doing so. You are seeing examples here in this thread.

[The Atheist]

Originally Posted by smartcooky

You are seeing examples here in this thread.

More complete nonsense.

What's being displayed in the thread is blind hero worship.

[smartcooky]

Originally Posted by The Atheist

More complete nonsense.

What's being displayed in the thread is blind hero worship.

What you call "blind hero worship", I call "giving credit where its due"


And don't bother replying (see my signature)

[The Atheist]

Originally Posted by smartcooky

And don't bother replying (see my signature)

Excellent idea!

Perfect way to avoid being challenged on nonsense.
_________________________

Meanwhile, since we're talking about Ardern, here's a piece on one her most cowardly failures - cannabis reform: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/can...e-modern-world

[The Atheist]

I may have posted this elsewhere previously, but it's hilarious, and on par with Trump screeching about Obama's golf, then playing it three times as much.

20 April 2015, Jacinda Tweeted:

Quote:

John Key just told the gallery he doesn't think Auckland houses are over valued. THEY'RE EARNING MORE THAN PEOPLE!!! For the love of..

...for the love of what, Cindy?

In the year to October 2020, the median Auckland house increased in value by $140,000.

Jacinda:

[The Atheist]

Nothing to see here...

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/h...ces--corelogic

[The Atheist]

All Hail Jacinda!

She's finally cracked number one.

For the most unaffordable housing in the OECD.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/124...cd-report-says

[PhantomWolf]

Originally Posted by The Atheist

All Hail Jacinda!

She's finally cracked number one.

For the most unaffordable housing in the OECD.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/124...cd-report-says

To be fair, Government Policy has very little to do with House Prices. The fact is that we currently have an influx of cash-rich NZers returning from overseas who are willing to pay a premium for housing here, and on top of that Aucklanders and Wellingtonians have now discovered that they can e-commute from anywhere in the country and so are selling up in those cities to the incoming NZers, and can then afford to drop 200-300k more that GV on a home in the provinces sight unseen, and still have a tidy sum in the bank or a massively reduced mortgage, sometimes both.

This willingness to pay way above GV in order to get the house is what is driving prices up, and there is nothing the Government can do to stop that. We simply don't have the builders to build homes fast enough to meet the current demands. And on top of that, we're having problems shipping materials into the country currently.

The reality is that even if you can take out the investors from the mix, first home buyers and returning ex-pats who are willing to pay far more than the valuation for a house are going to keep on driving the market as long as they are willing to pay those over inflated prices. And there's bupkiss that the Government can do to stop that without crashing the market and leaving thousands of people with homes that are worth thousands of dollars less than their mortgages. I don't think we want to see another 2008 crash, do we?

[The Atheist]

Originally Posted by PhantomWolf

To be fair, Government Policy has very little to do with House Prices.

Only to prove your own words wrong in the very next sentence:

Originally Posted by PhantomWolf

The fact is that we currently have an influx of cash-rich NZers returning from overseas who are willing to pay a premium for housing here...

Let in by a government consumed with keeping the rich rich.

Originally Posted by PhantomWolf

This willingness to pay way above GV in order to get the house is what is driving prices up, and there is nothing the Government can do to stop that.

Utter nonsense that can be answered in three letters: TAX.

Originally Posted by PhantomWolf

And there's bupkiss that the Government can do to stop that without crashing the market and leaving thousands of people with homes that are worth thousands of dollars less than their mortgages. I don't think we want to see another 2008 crash, do we?

God, I'd love to know what you're smoking, because it must be really good stuff. House prices are up 20% in the past 12 months. Even if they dropped 20%, a tiny fraction of owners would be impacted, and with interest rates at 2%, it wouldn't impact on owner-occupiers one bit.

[The Atheist]

And nailed in the Covid thread by Samson:

Originally Posted by Samson

Even now the luck may continue with the husband and hairdresser testing negative, so my guess is the 30 businesses are safe, but this should never have happened.
In Australia there is no movement from the hotel rooms for smoking, exercising and so on as I understand it, that is the simplest science.

I add below for context to show her two trick ponyism, Covid and Christchurch, have fooled the world, not as a derail.

(The Ardern headlines internationally miss that she has cleverly captured the right with soaring house prices she refuses to fix with a simple land tax for redistribution. Her reaction to the cannabis near deadheat was also for the right by ruling out decriminalisation despite her being a past inhaler.)