Key’s National Conference Speech
Key has, as expected, entered the Town Hall to a rapturous welcome. They had a nice wee video intro and a great song (no not Clocks) for the walk in.
In his speech he is laying out ten parts of National’s Blueprint for Change. They are:
- Cut taxes on 1 April 2009 and 1 April 2010
- Bring discipline to government spending to reduce pressure on interest rates
- Have a lid on staff numbers in the core public service
- Attack gangs and the “P” trade with tougher laws and more powers for the Police
- Introduce an RMA Amendment Bill within 100 days
- Involve the private sector and communities more in providing government services
- Set national standards for literacy and numeracy for primary school pupils
- Retain all superannuation entitlements and eligibility, and through lifting average after tax incomes, increase the amount paid to senior citizens
- Repeal the Electoral Finance Act, and reach out to all parties to reach a consensus on legislation to replace it that will retain measures to provide greater transparency in political donations
- A binding referendum on MMP by no later than 2011
There was also a major announcement on infrastructure, which I’ll deal with in a separate post.
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Tags: Election 2008, John Key, National
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:55 am
1..borrow to fund tax cuts..
2..populist beaurocrat-bashing..
3..ditto..
4..populist-gang-bashing..
5..anti-green/open the doors to the wide-boy developers..
(‘tune up the chainsaws..!..boys.!’)
6..privatising of social services..(whoar..!..)
7..wot..!..exams..(more knee-jerk populism..)
8..a promise not to take the chainsaw to the pension..
(sorta sensible/self-preserving..but hardly visionary..)
9..why not just go with the (eminintly) sensible green party suggestion/policy..of no anonymous donations over $1,000..?
..simple..and couldn’t be more ‘transparent’..
10..mmp-bashing..!..
(getouttahere..!..back to a 35% vote for whoever..deciding who rules us..?
a total waste of money/energy..
um..!..this is keys’ ‘visionary’ plan for the future..?
getouttahere..!
i mean..a bit of asian/immigrant-bashing in there..
..and it would be a classic/template new zealand first election platform..
(irony..!..eh..?..)
phil(whoar.co.z)
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:56 am
Funny there is no second list of all the Labour policies we attacked strongly but flip flopped to support( until the votes are counted)
August 3rd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
DPF:
Are there any details about the RMA Amendments, rather than just slogans? What’s going to be changed and how?
August 3rd, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Solid platform given National wont know the extent of the wreckage until they get into office.
August 3rd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Labour have been in government for 9 years. They have tried to improve things. They have failed
They have tinkered with roading, education and the economy but we are still hurting. We are not growing as a nation.
We are like Olympic participants trying to keep up with the big boys but each month getting further and further away from the medals. Too much time is taken up with telling parents how to bring up their children, trying to shaft any opposition and silence their critics with the Electoral Financing Act. Seriously, does anyone think that the Education Minister Chris Carter wearing a “I (heart) Maori success” or “Wassup” badge is going to make a real difference to the future of New Zealand
John Key is thinking ahead. He is target and solution focussed. He is planning to bring about a massive change in New Zealand. A temporal focus change merely looking to the past and the present to looking to the future and where we want to be.
His 10 point plan can be summed up as
1. Cut taxes on 1 April 2009 and 1 April 2010
Give people more money to make their own choices Economic freedom
2. Bring discipline to government spending to reduce pressure on interest rates
Apply the rigour that exists in the business world to get value for money from core government spending
3. Have a lid on staff numbers in the core public service
Specific example of how to do the above
4. Attack gangs and the “P” trade with tougher laws and more powers for the Police
Gangs exist purely to engage in criminal behaviour. P does not stand for Positive. P stands for Poison. A future free of gangs is a great goal
5. Introduce an RMA Amendment Bill within 100 days
Upgrading the RMA to retain resource management but without stifling reasonable growth
6. Involve the private sector and communities more in providing government services
Empowering Maori and the voluntary and charitable sectors who are currently producing good work to provide excellent service in the future. ie. backing winners
7. Set national standards for literacy and numeracy for primary school pupils
No more fudging and theorising about educational fads leaving kids as victims of political correctness leaving schools unable to read and write. Setting and achieving standards the same as we do in top sporting success
8. Retain all superannuation entitlements and eligibility, and through lifting average after tax incomes, increase the amount paid to senior citizens
Rewarding those who gave worked for New Zealand and giving greater returns in future for those due to retire
9. Repeal the Electoral Finance Act, and reach out to all parties to reach a consensus on legislation to replace it that will retain measures to provide greater transparency in political donations
Having the rules set for 2011 made by all the players not just screwing the scrum
10. A binding referendum on MMP by no later than 2011
Giving the voters power to choose how we elect our representatives in the future
This is easily the most forward thinking platform in 30 years. This is an ambitious plan to transform New Zealanders into economic and forward looking successful medallists by the time of the London Olympics in 2012 and especially by 2016
20 years of economic investment in our future but more importantly a man with avision of where we want to be and how we will get there.
97 days to go till we are released from the wasted years to the glorious years that lie ahead.
Bring it on!
August 3rd, 2008 at 1:10 pm
>Too much time is taken up with telling parents how to bring up their children
You’ve been watching TV? It seems, based on government funded advertising, that we need to be told to:
1. Not drive while drunk.
2. Not drive around corners too fast.
3. Watch out at intersections.
4. Not drive faster than the speed limit, even a little bit. A car that is safe at 98km/hr turns in to a death trap at 102km/hr.
5. Watch out while crossing railway tracks on foot or on a bicycle.
6. Not hit women. Unless you’re on TV, when your government-owned employer will cover up for you.
7. Not drink and dance if you’re a woman. And don’t follow strange blokes in to dark alleyways.
8. Not drink around barbecues if you’re a bloke.
9. Not drink and swing children around inside a house.
10. Install smoke alarms.
11. Not smoke so much.
12. Save electricity.
13. Buy cars fitted with air bags. Or you’ll be in an accident and spend the rest of your life talking funny.
August 3rd, 2008 at 1:14 pm
“A binding referendum on MMP by no later than 2011″
I would hope that NZ returns to FPP. Some of the minor party politicians would do more good as part of a larger party and as a result, breathe some overdue fresh air into them. For example, someone like Rodney Hide in a National caucus would be a leap forward for National’s style of politics, but he’s unlikely to make as great an impression as he should while he’s struggling in the 5% range. The large gap in the polls between the players is obvious. NZ doesn’t need more than two parties, that’s clear. The Greens, as a party, are obsolete. Why not absorb five of the MP’s into Labour and move on? The polarisation of people into forward looking and backward looking is complete under MMP. There has been no extra representation for minority groups, just extra cost overall.
August 3rd, 2008 at 1:45 pm
All good points.
Items 9 and 10 are particularly interesting. Perhaps thought it might be smarter to ensure any change to MMP are done in the form of some kind of constitutional hui examining issues like republicanism, a bicameral house, a written constitution and similar rather than just solely examining electoral systems.
I doubt we’ll ever go back to FPP, but I think a SMP (supplementary) system where proportionality only applies to the list, not the whole Parliament might be a logical evolution of our system. We can ensure a voice for minor parties in the interests of holding the big parties to account, but they don’t become the tail that wags the dog.
Under a SMP system, National on current polling would have a significant majority and govern in their own right. It would essentially ensure that a Lab/Green/Prog/NZF arrangement with united/Maori support that would be totally unreflective of the mood of the public could not defeat the overall thrust of the election results.
August 3rd, 2008 at 1:51 pm
It’s not true that a return to FPP would mean a two-party competition. Rather, the Maori party would permanently hold the balance of power. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, although it would certainly be interesting.
August 3rd, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Vote ACT. Their 20 Point Plan is much better. See it at act.org.nz.
August 3rd, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Goodgod…………..I agree with you, we should have clearly defined winner and loser. The idea of an unelected little demigod dictating how the country is run, subject to how much ‘resource’ is placed in various trusts seems rediculous……….Nationals goals seem very good, and efficient slimline goverment departments should be able to implement them, b ut I don’t know how bloated bureaucracies headed by Left wing ideologues placed there by the former administration together with a multitude of Commissioners of all sorts of little unnecessary kingdoms with rights of veto or delay will make any meaningful progress.
August 3rd, 2008 at 5:54 pm
i understand key has pledged to resign should he not win in november..
..which must cause divided emotions/imperatives in his deputy/likely successor..eh..?..
and..wow..!..
..imagine if english was the ‘deep throat’ that leaked all those emails to hager..?
i mean..he had every motive in the world..
a revelation of that would cause some ructions/heartburn..eh..?
cos..you nattys can’t get past the fact..
that an insider leaked those emails..and brought brash down..
who could/would it be..?
if not english..?
phil(whoar.co.nz)
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:05 pm
wow..!..three news has an audio of english saying national would sell off kiwibank..
(whoar..!..eh..?..)
phil(whoar.co.nz)
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Philu:
Proof please.
Or did you misread this part of Key’s conference speech:
Gee Philu, when thinking of you, why does the phrase “bullshit artist” come to mind?
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:25 pm
my bad/misheard..!
but hey..!
he won’t stay around for three years in opposition..
..when he loses..
..he’ll be outtathere..!
but how about that ’secret agenda’ to sell off kiwibank..
..eh..?
that’s gonna go down like a cup of cold sick..!
phil(whoar.co.nz)
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Phil, you’re a fool. Once again shown up to be wrong, more lies and exaggeration.
What you don’t seem to realise is, you’re the elephant in the room. You are the embodiment of all that is bad about Labour, your adherence to their failed policies, your arrogance and rudeness. On top of that your puerile use of the English language really makes you a waste of space.
Go away
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:50 pm
i misheard..apologised/withdrew 30 mins later..
ever seen a rightie do that..?..in this forum..?
(c.f…rex widerstrom..and..and..)
should i don a hairshirt..?
but anyway..!
how about that secret agenda to sell/flog-off kiwibank..?
eh..?
that’s ‘the story’ here..!
phil9whoar.co.nz)
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Philu:
Here’s a novel idea: how about you providing proof, as in an authoritative link to a reputable website, as a basis for discussion?
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Phil
When you start using proper English, I would be more prepared to debate issues with you.
Not until then.
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:06 pm
andf did he use kenny rogers doing ‘the gambler’..?
..as his walk-in theme-song..?
phil9whoar.co.nz)
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:41 pm
I agree. There will be an aircraft hanger filled with Labour’s skeletons, all available for forensic examination once National take over. There will be various boards/roles stuffed with Labour cronies (this is already gathering pace) and plenty of destruction of evidence of wrong doing in the public sector – which has been treated as a publicly funded arm of the Labour party for too long.
I also expect the Labour is busy preparing a few sabotages which can be triggered and attributed to National within a few months of the election.
In short, we have endured 9 years of the most corrupt and ethically bereft government in the history of NZ.
Much of the damage is buried in societal attitudes (eg it’s the government’s role to provide for me, blame must be attributed etc) but other damage is much more visible (eg average personal productivity slumping relative to oz; bloated, ineffective & inefficient public service; skills shortages and far-left socialists policy sold to a sleepy public as policy that is globally mainstream)
Key has a vision for NZ, while Clark has a vision for Clark, and venom for anyone who stands in her way.
We’re well due for a change. I’m looking forward to it.
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Philu:
You’ve already been caught short once on this thread.
Now, for the second time, where is your proof for this claim: how about that secret agenda to sell/flog-off kiwibank..? [ the crucial words being "secret agenda"]
You wouldn’t want to reinforce your reputation as a bullshit artist now, would you?
August 3rd, 2008 at 8:42 pm
english was recorded at the conference..
3 news reported it/played the recording..
(go bitch at them..)
phil(whoar.co.nz)
August 3rd, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Philu:
That’s simply not good enough.
You made a claim, based on TV3 news, which was debunked above. I’ll believe your second claim, also based on TV3 news, when I see substantive evidence – particularly when it’s an embellished “secret agenda” claim.
August 3rd, 2008 at 9:31 pm
that’s right..you are that fucken lawyer idiot..
who loves making arguments just for the sake of it..
piss off..
go play with yourself..!
phil(whoar.co.nz)
August 3rd, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Phil’s right,
There was a recording on 3 news
But who give a fuck, it’s bleeding obvious Kiwibank only exists to push Labour led Government propaganda about eviiiiiiiiilllllll foreign investors. National won’t be pushing that ideology after the election so what will be the point of Kiwibank? Besides Labour and the other leftists party’s are perfectly free to campaign for the 2011 and subsequent elections in the 2008 campaign. In fact please do.
BTW. It make’s me sick how Kiwibank try to compare joining a bank to fighting tyranny. It’s an insult to soldiers who have died in war.
August 3rd, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Philu:
Oh such aggression! I’m not in the slightest intimidated by you, Philu, and will continue to expose you as the bullshit artist that you arel
It goes like this: don’t make claims that you can’t substantiate. I’ve already exposed you on this thread as an idiot – for being unable to listen to a basic TV3 news item. You haven’t proved that National has a “secret agenda to sell/flog-off kiwibank” – all I gather is there was a throwaway line from English, which if true, suggests that it’s not exactly a secret agenda.
Keep trying. You might yet become an investigative journalism, Philu, in your wet dreams!
August 3rd, 2008 at 10:10 pm
would you like a tisse..?
phil9whoar.co.nz)
August 3rd, 2008 at 10:33 pm
BTW. It make’s me sick how Kiwibank try to compare joining a bank to fighting tyranny. It’s an insult to soldiers who have died in war.
Soldiers who have died in war fighting tyranny, you mean.
There’s quite the difference.
August 3rd, 2008 at 10:39 pm
yawn. see how the cerebrally bypassed hard-core lefties have associated anything other than ‘government owns and controls all’ as evil rich-prick tory extremism… while the rest of the world (save one or two socialist catastrophes) has adopted more sensible policies based of ownership being vested where the most value can be delivered to consumers.
In any case we’ve been assured that there will be “no sale of public assets in the first term”. there’s no secret there – it’s very very clear. and key includes the trainset which is overly generous as it’s not an asset, more of a gobsmackingly big liability.
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Nomestradamus (1683) Just for you
-http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0808/S00008.htm
Audio: Bill English Talks On KiwiBank Being Sold
Sunday, 3 August 2008, 6:45 pm
Article: Scoop Audio
Audio: Bill English Talks About KiwiBank Being Sold
Audio: At the National Party conference on Friday night National Party deputy leader Bill English was overheard talking to a couple of delegates about how he would sell KiwiBank and make changes to Working For Families once elected.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Low audio sound quality.
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:09 pm
You forget milo that national is going to dump the Maori seat once it get into power so do you really think that the MP are ever going to side with National and commit Political suicide?
Even the most dickhead of National supporter don’t think that is going to happen. Why do you think JK is bending over backwards to not rule out Winnie, he is shit scared that he is going to get back in.
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Racially based representation seems to be working well in Zimbabwe so it makes sense to keep it going here. Even so, perhaps asking NZers what form of representation they’d like is a good idea. Granted it’s a bit democratic for hard-core socialist like Dilly but (sigh) that’s life.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:12 am
>>Soldiers who have died in war fighting tyranny, you mean.
>>There’s quite the difference.
You are correct there is quite a difference
But that is not what i meant. Any soldiers life is vastly more important than a trival thing such a choosing your bank.
>> You forget milo that national is going to dump the Maori seat once it get into power so do you really think that the MP are ever going to side with National and commit Political suicide?
Not necessarily, if we choose to dump MMP (Proportional Representation), the Maori seats become Labour’s problem because it takes votes off them in the general electorates and they have said that they will keep the Maori seats as long as Maori want them (fat chance of that not happening in the next 1000 years or so)
August 4th, 2008 at 3:18 am
I am sure the Standard and the usual people will be screaming bloody murder… but not me
However my take on this is as follows:
1) It is a START. Lets also ensure that our taxes are protected so that future Governments cannot abuse our hard earned cash and leave us more in our pockets.
2) A little bit of Regulatory Responsibility as well don’t you think? National should be shouting from the rooftops that they do not want to waste our taxes and will walk away from the nonsense that Labour has created.
3) Not good enough. A “cap” is a cop out – we should not be allowing all the current political appointees to keep their jobs. We shouldn’t have bureaucrats for the sake of having them. This is directly linked to #2.
4) Good luck. Another war on drugs….seems to be working splendidly now. Still, citizens should be protected from these idiots who decide to inflict harm on others.
5) Good! You lot created this law so you have a moral obligation to fix it up
6) Hear hear! Somebody has sat down and read an ACT brochure and applied some commonsense to our failing social services.
7) The teachers unions will be against it – so you know it is the right thing to do! Our literacy and numeracy standards are far behind much of the world. I know this because I work in this field and the ex-communist countries leave us for dead.
9) Do this in under 100 days. Sort it out right away and stick the middle finger up at Labour. If you win this election then their cunning and illegal plan backfired.
10) Will be interesting! Watch out for the Greens and flakey leftie organisations that will pop up and promote their latest crazy voting system to ensure that it works for their advantage.
In all I give it a solid 5/6 out of 10. It is showing a little promise and if ACT get enough votes then we will put some teeth on it and give it some bite!
August 4th, 2008 at 3:24 am
Oh and if it was up to me I’d sell Kiwibank right away. Fuck it. Why should running a bank be as important as running our core Government departments? Labour seem to think owning everything is in our best interests…. tell that to families who are struggling with poor hospitals/schools.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:51 am
Still I think you’ll find a lot of people think KiwiBank helps keep down interest rates. Whether that’s actually true or not, that’s the perception.
Since all the other banks are now owned by Australia, it’s an issue that might keep a few thousand voters from staying toward the Nats.
And thanks phil, for giving us a heads-up on this.
August 4th, 2008 at 8:02 am
i’ll stick my kneck out..and make a prediction..
national will shortly suffer a (somewhat severe) poll-setback..
keys’ ‘vision’ was decidedly ‘underwhelming’..
..consisting of that grab-bag of traditional (new zealand first style) populist-bashing of the usual suspects..
..and plans to ‘put it on the house’..(!)
(y’know..!..just like those scams being run on retired people..
..to get them back in the grip of the money-lenders..?
..where the interest eats away at their equity..
..like white-ants..
..now..most of those sucked in by that scam..now regret it..
..as do many out there now saddled with the hangovers from their own personal credit-binges..
..be it on the house..or on (now rapidly diminishing) expectations of a ‘rosy future’..
..so..this is all very much a matter of ‘bad timing’ for key/national..
..twelve months ago..keys’ exhortations to ‘put it on the house!’ would have been welcomed with a “..why the fuck not..?”/shrug of the shoulders from most..
(still deep in their own personal little binges..)
..but now is not twelve months ago..
..and only the seriously brain-dead would still be clinging to that ”ever-rosy’ future chimera..
..as their hangovers start to bite.
..(and that huge tv they will still be paying for five years from now..dosen’t quite look the ‘glittering prize’ it once did..)..
..they now know that ‘putting it on the house’..isn’t the brightest idea n the box..
..clark has also countered well..lucidly pointing out the insanities of this plan of action..
..that to go borrowing..(to fund tax-cuts..(at what price..?)..
..and in a time of ‘international financial crisis’.
(n.b…this is the first time clark has used the ‘c’ word publicly..)
..even now..seems a particular brand of madness..
..and this perception/reality will become clearer and clearer..
..the nearer we get to the election..
the penny is going to drop for many people..
..that key dosen’t actually have any plan..
..save some (tired) populism…
..and to borrow/slash services to fund tax-cuts..(!)
..so he can appeal to our personal greed..
..in an attempt to out-bid clark/labour..
..this is a ‘play’ on keys’ part..
..that isn’t going to work..
phil(whoar.co.nz)
August 4th, 2008 at 9:01 am
did someone just say something?
August 5th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Good to see the EFA will be scrapped. Now will it be scrapped within the first six months of office?