New Ideas & Other Stuff

John Key has once again changed his mind on the facts. He initially claimed he has left Equiticorp before the foreign exchange scam took place and has now said he left after it took place. For most people work place movement is a significant milestone and not to difficult to recall, particularly when associated with significant events.
If this was the first “flip flop” it would perhaps be minor but there have been numerous instances of indecisiveness or evading the truth. It would seem that one of the most important attributes for a nation’s leader would be the ability to “think on your feet” and make decisions. If John Key can not do this then we should surely view this with some concern. I consider one mistake excusable two mistakes human, but that several mistakes of a similar nature should set alarm bells ringing.

National has clearly shown it is not the unyielding disciplined team who will be able to lead New Zealand into a Bright New Future. Two shadow minister making public statements that were seen by the director of Victoria University's Samoan studies programme as 'ridiculous and foolish'. Lockwood Smith's comments –“ that Asians have small hands that make them better at picking fruit and that some Pacific workers needed to be taught to use toilets and showers” were seen by the Prime Minister as ridiculous and demeaning. Comments by another National MP about $3 daily road tolls left many people feeling that their “tax cuts” would be easily taken back by these road tolls. There has been an apology but you are left feeling - can we vote for this party when they once again show they are not unified or the tight team of professionals they purport to be.

Key proposes to invest 40% of the National Super Fund (Cullen Fund) in NZ infrastructure sounds good till you think about it. If the money is invested in Public roads and other infrastructure such as broadband then who pays the interest on the investment? It seems all too obvious that the tax payer does. Is this a deceptive way of spending the National Super Fund while seeming to maintain what was a popular and necessary initiative of the Labour government? Even of the fund helps to provide public private partnership toll roads there is still a “pay twice” feel about the whole thing.

Consider the present situation where the money is invested overseas. The company that benefits from the investment pay the interest thus compounding the money that has been put into the National Super fund. There is already a proportion of the  fund invested in New Zealand but to mandate 40% of the fund to be invested in NZ infrastructure would strongly suggest that the whole “idea/policy” needs a lot more consideration and or needs to be scrapped.     

John Key has once again “Flip Floped” over his decision on the Maori Seats. At one time re-stating the long held National party policy of the abolition of the Maori Seats and now stating that for reasons of political expediency the seats would not be abolished. Is this on of the “dead fish” that would need to be swallowed?
The New Zealand Herald reported that
“He (John Key) had not previously said that, and has disagreed with Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples' account of a private meeting at which Dr Sharples says Mr Key gave him an assurance the policy would be dropped if National needed the Maori Party's support after the election.When he was asked about that during Tuesday night's leaders debate on TV One, Mr Key said: "I've never given that assurance. There is no formal agreement. I'm sorry, but he's got it wrong."The New Zealand people need to be wary and to take note of this indecisiveness and this tendency to “Flip Flop” (change the truth) when it is convenient to do so.

With the National party as much as 20 points a head of the government for many months there was both relief and concern depending on your political allegiances. Tonight two different polls have been released one puts the government 3 points behind and the other shows a gap of six points. What has changed? Well I believe the public are a lot more astute than the politicians often think. Members of the opposition have spoken out of turn, been less than forthcoming, over promised and under delivered. The race is well and truly on now and it looks as if it will be the minor parties who will be called on to form a coalition that will be the key to the make up of the new government.

For some weeks National has promised $50+ tax cuts. Today’s announcement by John Key clearly shows it is a fizzer. To add insult to injury National plans to kick the stuffing out of Kiwi Saver to pay for the tax cuts that they are proposing. National must think we are all naive and can be hood winked by fancy rhetoric and slick "car sales" like talk. Kiwi Saver is supported by 800,000 New Zealanders who will, almost with out exception not be at all impressed John Key. When will people learn to think about and plan for the future.

New Zealanders need to wake up. The last nine years have been some of the best ever in New Zealand. Helen Clark has lead a government that has taken New Zealand forward like no other PM or government ever has. New Zealanders take the blinkers off stop thinking of your own pockets and think of the future that our children will have to grow old in. The next three years will need an experienced skilled government not a bunch of people led by a new kid on the block.

Many people were shattered to learn of the passing of Rob Guest, who died overnight from a massive stroke. He had been starring in the musical Wicked, was admitted to Melbourne's St Vincent's Hospital on Tuesday night. He died peacefully in the hospital early this morning, surrounded by his family and friends. He was born in England and became known as a pop star in New Zealand in the 1970s when he began performing with Columbus on the television show Happen In. His stage musical career took him to Australia where he starred in Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera.