Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: What I saw at the step change.

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  • Sacha,

    Andre, I don't think Hickey's all that worried about the poor - more the young achievers who the Nats are supposedly so keen on keeping here. That's worthy of an emperor's clothes moment.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    the benefits to NEW ZEALAND are negligible

    Yes, and it's the stunning lack of ambition in digging up minerals to sell off for cents on the dollar rather than creating high-value export industries for our children's futures that gets me. That's going to drive them overseas at least as much as being unable to buy a house.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I really would like to know how on earth Key doesn't have the numbers. A tax is a supply issue. Key has confidence and supply agreements with two parties, either of which would get him a majority.

    So, you really think Key would have any more of an appetite than Clark did for playing confidence and supply chicken in public with either support party? You can argue that being risk-averse is a vice as well as a virtue in political leaders, but I thought the whole point of MMP was to act as a brake on a repeat of '84-'93(ish)?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Keir Leslie,

    No, I would have thought Key could have gone to his two support parties, (who are clearly on board with the National Party in a broad sense) and (a) laid out why it'd be a good idea, and (b) indulged in the ol' pork*.

    I really doubt that the Maori Party are keen on a GST rise, for example. I'm pretty sure Key could have worked something out there. We know that Act & the Maori Party want to vote for this Budget, so it's not like trying to get the Greens onside or anything.

    * clearly not something Key's averse to.

    Since Jul 2008 • 1452 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I believe what's irking people is not a misunderstanding of MMP's tendency to reduce extremes like we saw in the 80s and 90s.

    It's more about the hypocrisy of the current bunch's chestbeating proclamations of boldness and ambition compared with their actual dull managerialism and poverty of vision. They could at least be honest about that, but then I guess they might be unsuited for politics.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    Yes, and it's the stunning lack of ambition in digging up minerals to sell off for cents on the dollar rather than creating high-value export industries for our children's futures that gets me.

    Me too. New Zealand is a land of plenty, filled with natural resources that will be sold to the highest bidder. Its citizens are of little value. The wealthiest among them need incentives to remain here or to be attracted here from overseas. The rest will get by, possibly. Their children are of little consequence.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    While we're being nostalgic, remember those pre-election "wave goodbye" billboards?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Their children are of little consequence.

    Someone has to go down the mines, Paul

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • slarty,

    I'll miss you, and don't forget to throw a going away party. Sorry, but I've seen too many people threaten to flounce out of the country and never get around to leaving in the past not to be somewhat cynical.

    Fair point well made.

    But in my defence, I've done it twice before (NZ is my third country of residence...) :)

    Since Nov 2006 • 290 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Are we agreed that having made endless political capital capita out of promenading with Aroha Nathan two years ago, John Key deserves no sympathy now the story has gone bad?

    I ride through McGehan Close a couple of times a week. It looks rougher than it did two years ago.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    there are lots of silly ugly bits in national parks

    Of course you're quite right.

    Actually perhaps we could all help our government by taking photos of bits of National Parks that we don't care about. We could then assemble them into a nice big montage or one of those really cool pictures where all the pixels are really photos...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    While we're being nostalgic, remember those pre-election "wave goodbye" billboards?

    ... which could've done with some National Standards in literacy.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    The wealthiest among them need incentives to remain here or to be attracted here from overseas

    Like these fellas?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • James Littlewood*,

    Do folks think that mining our reserves will capture the imagination of the public enough to bring the government down?

    Maybe, dunno. But thanks to Paul for the link to Kiwiblog. Wow, those guys are pissed off.

    It seems Key's infuriated his own support base more than anyone, Fran O'Sullivan included.

    DS, agree. This is like Avatar without the goggles.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 410 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    I ride through McGehan Close a couple of times a week. It looks rougher than it did two years ago.

    "Whoops" ( Maori Party compromise).

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I ride through McGehan Close a couple of times a week. It looks rougher than it did two years ago.

    "Whoops" ( Maori Party compromise).

    Indeed, Sofie. Fucking poor people really should keep their houses tidy so they don't offend the eyeballs of passing motorists. That or Melissa Lee should start posting her sociological insights under her own name.

    Kiwiblog. Wow, those guys are pissed off.

    Just between us, James, that gutless socialist, nignog-coddling, hoodie-hugging pussy 'Neville" Key and his "Liarbore-lite" government will never satisfy the usual suspects in Kiwibog-i-stan. They prefer to get their squee on over Cameron Slater threatening to publish the addresses of judges whose decisions he doesn't approve of.

    So, remind me why Key should start losing any sleep over these wannabe Tea Baggers?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • webweaver,

    Do folks think that mining our reserves will capture the imagination of the public enough to bring the government down?

    No - and that's what completely freaks me out about this proposal. That it'll go through virtually unopposed because yer average politically uninterested/naive/apathetic/give-me-my-tax-cut Kiwi won't give enough of a shit to do anything to stop it.

    However, I could be completely wrong in my assessment - possibly Kiwis do love their land sufficiently to fight for it. I don't know. I've only been here 17 years. :)

    I am somewhat heartened by the general response on Your Views which seems to be a little greener than normal - apart from the obligatory dickheads laughing at "the lefties & greenies" for "jumping up and down". But they're extra-strength morons, so I'm not counting them.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Oh, and I really love Bernard's latest proposal for dealing with the smelly, grasping old people and tools like Key:

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi,

    It seems Key's infuriated his own support base more than anyone, Fran O'Sullivan included.

    Them's fighting words.

    Back when I used to read the dead tree version of the Herald, I made a game of writing Fran's columns in my head before I read them. It'd go something like "Take any press release or policy statement made by the National Party, add some vaguely pro-business jargon, throw in a casual swipe at whatever Labour Party official was in the news that week, and voila!" Amazing how easy it was to predict her exact wording with that method.

    So if they've lost Fran, well, what's next? Garth George coming out as a 20-something lesbian atheist living in Ponsonby?

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Fucking poor people really should keep their houses tidy so they don't offend the eyeballs of passing motorists.

    If Key hadn't of used "average New Zealanders" after abusing them, for his photo ops,and if only Jackie (lying) Blue had never had hired that woman in the first place,and then it must be her own fault when she relied on the training incentive for the course she took up, and then, just maybe she could have been at home tidying up her front yard. Yes, that's it. Stupid obviously dirty woman.Then she better not have kids over 6, oh.... Of course you are right Craig, a much brighter future to be had.You know what I mean?

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Yesterday I came to an uncomfortable realisation that almost everyone my age I know who has bought a house, has done so with the financial assistance of their families. It would not be possible otherwise.

    The few people who have been able to buy a house without assistance have basically been singularly nerdily focused on saving for/buying a house, in a way that the previous generation never needed to be.

    I fear I'll be a renter 4 life, no matter what I'd like to do.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi,

    Also OT, but my only reaction right now is wat?

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Indeed, Sofie. Fucking poor people really should keep their houses tidy so they don't offend the eyeballs of passing motorists. That or Melissa Lee should start posting her sociological insights under her own name.

    No. But if things were improving, you'd expect to see things getting better, not worse. The difference in my parents street in South Auckland between 1995 and 2005 is quite phenomenal. And yes, better employment and incomes, and a range of social policies have had a great effect on the character of the street.

    However, I don't think you can yet criticise National over this street. It is still too early to blame this Government for anything other than the direct results of particular policies - we can start to play the indiscriminate blame game sometime in the next year.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    singularly nerdily focused on saving for/buying a house, in a way that the previous generation never needed to be

    They did, to be fair, it's just that the ratio of average income to average house price was so much lower for them. And there were fewer lifestyle distractions to spend your money on otherwise. But sacrifices were most assuredly made.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    They did, to be fair, it's just that the ratio of average income to average house price was so much lower for them. And there were fewer lifestyle distractions to spend your money on otherwise. But sacrifices were most assuredly made.

    It's about 9/1 now, as opposed to a historic average of 5/1.

    As this graph illustrates, the ratio between house prices and incomes grew significantly in the last twenty years. Most of that occurred between 2002 and 2008. Twenty five percent increases in single years? What the fuck?

    An Alliance or Green coalition would never have let that happen. At least, it's the kind of thing that they publicly abhor.

    Labour loved this property boom - it inflated the economy with billions and billions of soft dollars, and created the illusion of wealth. It also

    I think that those attacking National here are being somewhat one-eyed. This is very squarely a Labour Party problem. National may not have the will to fix it, and may seek to perpetuate it, but it was Clark, Cullen and Goff who were putting gasoline on the property speculation bonfire.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

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