Trans-Tasman on Key
March 5th, 2009 at 4:27 pm by David FarrarTrans-Tasman (an invaluable weekly newsletter) looks at the week for Key:
John Key had three striking successes in the past week. All three demonstrated his capacity to take hold of a germ of an idea, nurture it and turn a political profit on it. The Jobs Summit hammered home the theme saving jobs is a top priority of the Key Govt. But its important achievement was to get sectors previously in conflict to work together. The Govt is willing to take on more debt, the banks are willing to lend some more money, the unions are not calling for pay rises, and employers accepted plans to reduce hours rather than jobs. As union leader (and presumably politically opposed to Key) Laila Harre put it: “In term of my political experience this was the first time I have personally been engaged in a genuinely tripartite process at a NZ level. I’ve never seen anything like that in NZ.”
The other two sucesses are putting the travel to Australia as domestic passengers on the fast track, and the decision to launch a Korean FTA.
At some stage, Key will have a really bad week, and it will be interesting to see how he handles it. But he is displaying very good political instincts to date.
Related posts:
- Trans-Tasman on Key and income inequality
- The trans-Tasman productivity report
- Trans-tasman
- Nine to Noon Politics
March 5th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
“But he is displaying very good political instincts to date.”
But bad economic instincts. Too Muldoonish.
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Was Muldoon a Keyseian too?
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Not getting his Police Minister to forage into the alledged ‘failure to a breath specimen, or blood, or urine’ of a top cop is up there waiting to fall on him, unless he acts. And to rein in the disingenuine Comm Broad.
We believe there are extenuating circumstances but we aint goin to tell anybody!!
That Top Cop, must be a Labour Diehard then?
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
His Police Minister also hasn’t declared a victory over the Bootleggers in Labour Staffers.
You , know the thieving bastards!
The next rock ready to fall is the Winston Peters saga. That ship keeps sailing without working the passage.
He also needs to be very wary of Phil Goff making Phil Goff look like a complete twat, and the next rise of the opinion polls taking him past our most competent, and popular PM ever.
He is bound to let it get to his head. And godforbid he tries to break every limb in a vain attempt to auction all the casts in order to stem the gaping hole in ACC, and Tricky Micky’s Isle of Sodor toy train set Finances.
Goff’s, we must build trains in NZ trill is quite typical of a pinko that does not understand business. It is called stick to your knitting!
Then Mallards continual patrol throught the blue blogs looking for pugnacious action makes Duckface look like a lost soul.
Cunliffes rabid attack on English was a sight to behold. What a strange little man?
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
“That Top Cop, must be a Labour Diehard then?”
Obviously, and with a heavy hand, this is where the minister of police steps in and nips collusion in the bud and stamps his new found authority on his underlings.
This includes Broad, which I understand to be the pecking order.
If you’re not going to flippin have fun and games in the job, there’s no point being the minister.
I would’ve been on the blower to Broad first thing Monday morning and deprive him of his breakfast. Then have him waiting outside my door for 30 mins without the privilige of a coffee.
He would understand who was the minister in his town boyo!
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
” The Jobs Summit hammered home the theme saving jobs is a top priority ”
Vote:What a crock! Jobs are being lost like wickets in a Black Caps test match!
The Jobs Summit was window dressing and unconvincing dressing at that.
Workers aren’t stupid.
March 5th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
So every thought of the supreme leader is taken as gospel.
The summit was a pr exercise where ideas that were decided by the leaders don-keys were circulated for approval.
The trans tasman travel is another fleeting thought that has mystical status now its ‘fast tracked’.
No wonder Merryl Lynch went down the gurgler if this is how they expected their executives to behave
[DPF: It is so wonderful to hear Jacob squeal in pain so often. The bitterness just drips from his posts. He probably feels physically sick when a poll gets published.]
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Gueeez it must really hurt Greenfly and other assorted rabies sufferers to read articles like these.
But I do agree with GM … Goff is digging himself his own grave and the sad thing about it is that his Labour colleagues are egging him on … such loyalty to behold.
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Workers aren’t stupid.
That’s why so many voted for National.
It’s the quasi workers, and bludgers who are rattled.
Good workers are very hard to attract and keep.
Of course anybody we employ will be terminated at day 89.
Because that is what Goff wants us to do. To hell with commercial realities.
Have you noticed his eyes are starting to go as Black as the last Dear Leader?
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
He is having a good run and he is showing good political instincts. I’m underwhelmed by the single border thing but if it increases business access to Australia, great stuff. As you say, he’ll have bad weeks and that’s going to be a different test altogether.
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
wikiriwhis business
You have clearly never been a public servant.
The Minister of Police is NOT in charge of the police force in New Zealand.
If the Minister rang the Commissioner asking for a meeting, the Commissioner would inquire as to the subject matter. If the Minister said it was about an operational or staffing matter, the Commissioner would politely tell the Minister that the Minister has no role in those matters and thus a meeting is not needed. We would probably wish the Minister a pleasent day, before hanging up.
And PS: the current Minister of Police is a woman.
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
It’s all underwhelming, Paul Williams, and pumped up to larger than life-size by the swarms of besotted acolytes that breath timorously in ‘his’ presence.
Key’s ‘instincts’ would be those of a money trader, yes? The same instincts displayed by the swines that brought on the economic plummet we are experiencing now, yes? He’s one of them.
[DPF: Oh poor little Greenfly. He just keeps asking oh why can't everyone see what he sees. It must be hard to be so lonely]
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Good on him – amazing what a bit of honest Business graft can achieve, to the acknowledgment we saw from Laila Harre.
But just quietly – you can usually tell when something is propaganda and when it is dispassionate news, can’t you. The giveaways are cheerleading passages such as the following:
Vote:“[Person] had three striking successes in the past week. All three demonstrated his capacity to take hold of a germ of an idea, nurture it and turn a political profit on it.”
March 5th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Look at clueless the Supreme leader really is..
Hon Phil Goff: What is the current status of the New Zealand Skills Strategy developed by Business New Zealand, the Council of Trade Unions, and the Industry Training Federation, and how does he intend to progress that strategy in order to assist skills training?
Hon JOHN KEY: My understanding is that the strategy is still in operation.
Hon Phil Goff: In operation? It hasn’t started yet.
Hon JOHN KEY: It is a strategy, like a lot of strategies.
…..
Hon Phil Goff: What is the current status of the New Zealand Skills Strategy?
Hon JOHN KEY: All I can say is that in terms of a skills strategy, we are working on one of those—
Hon Phil Goff: Not “a”—the skills strategy.
…..
Hon Phil Goff: I seek leave to table the New Zealand Skills Strategy, so that the Prime Minister can be better informed.
Still so out of his depth !!
Just shows what bullshit Transtasman are saying ( who are busy waving the placards Pyongyang style)
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
“..Workers aren’t stupid.
That’s why so many voted for National..”
they were suckered..
does anyone remember the crocodile tears from key about ‘closing the wage gap with australia’..?
..that was a curly one/whopper…
..eh..?
..and enough mug low-paid workers believed the lies from ‘that nice mr key’..
..and did their version of turkeys voting for thanksgiving..
..they can now regret at leisure..
..eh..?
..so..a cycleway..and tax cuts for the rich..will solve our version of the global economic meltdown..eh..?
btw..i saw a prediction today of the dow going down to 600…yes..!..that’s six hundred..
..phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Greenfly and Jacob Van Hartog have to be amongst the saddest people currently inhabiting this pleasant land .Dashing from blog entry to entry,they both appear to be obsessed with a pathological need to spread woe and despondency in their wake along with giving new currency to the old adage that it is much easier to be a critic rather than develop the talent to become an effective actor.Presumably happiness and general goodwill is not a concept that they easily embrace,but perhaps with grief therapy to counter their recent,apparently traumatic political loss,they both may then return to a happier state of mind. We in our turn,relieved of the constant yapping at our heels,can concentrate more easily on more positive discussions.
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
norman vincent peale fan there earsling..?
you just keep on clinging to that sheet anchor..eh..?
..rough seas ahead..
..eh..?
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Phool
“and tax cuts for the rich..”
Tax cuts for the middle class Phool, the same middle class you have been stealing from for the last ten years.
I cannot wait for mine, not sure what I might do with it really, the boat really could do with another lick of paint or I might trade in one of the cars for the new model.
What are you going to be doing with your tax cut Phool?
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
and speaking of ‘transtasman key’..
..those aussie insurance company owners who key promised to privatise acc for..(remember..?..pre-election..?..
..speech to a coven of them in sydney..?)
..well..they will be rubbing their hands together..and doing money dances..
..seeing as key seems likely to keep his acc carve-up/privatise promise to them ..
..sooner rather than later..
..eh..?
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
If these are the sorts of “striking successes” that will mark John Key’s time as PM, the next 3 years will be a real snooze-fest.
A talking shop on employment, while the economy’s slowly being sucked into the global financial crisis. Domestic travel to Australia (great, good to see we’ve sorted out that burning issue…but won’t this mean no more duty free??). And FTA talks with South Korea – again, excellent, these should be sorted within 5 – 10 years. Just in time for the end of the next business cycle.
Let’s see some boldness, some vision. Let’s see some response to the financial crisis that doesn’t involve simply slashing spending, and making up policy as you go along. And please, no more tiddler infrastructure projects dressed up as a grand fiscal stimulus plan.
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
greenfly Says:
…
Workers aren’t stupid.
How would you know? You’re a Green voter. Your circles of acquaintances is the unemployed layabouts and the criminal parasites.
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
JVH … the so called ‘Skills Strategy’ was developed by the three mentioned sectors + a Labour Government who as per usual forgot to do the hard yards i.e. stump up with their share of the readies … so of course it hasn’t started.
Its called walking talk. Labour just talks the talk … bit like building locomotives in NZ … never mind the quality, just feel the width. Your mob couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery.
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
oob – your astonishing clairvouyance puts me at a tremendous disadvantage when it comes to debating with you, as does your razor wit.
Yes indeed, it is easier to be a critic (as you will no doubt remember, after all, it wasn’t so long ago that constant criticism was de rigeur for righteous bloggers everywhere – happy days for you, now for us! Gloom and desponency indeed! I don’t think so 
Vote:Earsling – Not enjoying the constant yapping at your heels? Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it and barely notice it at all. We did.
March 5th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
I give up trying to understand it!
Criticise John Key – get bad karmas.
Compliment John Key – still get bad karmas.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say kiwibloggers are playing the man, not the ball!
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
greenfly Says:
oob – your astonishing clairvouyance..
It doesn’t require clairvoyance, it’s obvious. National is the Party that represents the workers, Labour and the Greens are the Parties that take from the workers.
..puts me at a tremendous disadvantage
You’re at a disadvantage because the ideology you espouse is utterly bankrupt and because (and I hope I don’t hurt your feelings) you’re just not that bright.
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
“The Minister of Police is NOT in charge of the police force in New Zealand.”
so you’re saying the minister of police has no say in the portfolio.
Is relegated to reading the police gazette and what ever info the closest constable has.
Police love the minster supplying funds and extra staff… but sorry, can’t say anything bout the day to day operations.
Something needs to be changed don’t you think
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
“Labour and the Greens are the Parties that take from the workers. ”
When Labour started playing around with the credit unions, which constitutes a broad base of their voters, several years back, I knew they had forgotten theri values and sold their souls from that day forth.
and really, 1989 was the year they took away the treson laws and started selling the country
And no one said boo.
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
oob said: “National is the Party that represents the workers”
Lift that from the pages of Animal Farm, did you, oob?
Vote:I may not be ‘that bright’, but my light sears like a burning magnesium strip beside your sputtering lard-soaked wick
March 5th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
is that kinda like white phosphorus- bright?
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Patrick – brighter than the light of your average starr
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
well thats the problem with all you ‘average’ greenies – you’re well below the national average
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
“well thats the problem with all you ‘average’ greenies – you’re well below the national average”
Those irritating, ingratiating “smiles” are also particularly nauseating.
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
I see we have a new couple squabbling
Oob and Greenfly
so refreshing instead of the usual insane ravers and ranters.
Vote:March 5th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
Wiki – don’t worry. If the topic was Israel they’d both be in violent agreement
Vote:March 6th, 2009 at 5:04 am
John Key is doing a far better job than what Helen Clark every did.
Vote:March 6th, 2009 at 6:42 am
Angus, you churlish old curmudgeon – no smiling on Kiwiblog – harrumph, harrumph! No bold highlighting either, I’ve been admonished! You ‘dyed in the wool Kbloggers are so directive ! Whatever happened to freedom of expression? You batter away until everyone sings from the same song book – yours! Big Brother is alive and well here. No more smiley faces then Angus, in your honour, ya grump.
Vote:March 6th, 2009 at 6:53 am
Hey greenfly. Do you fly around annoying people 24/7? Keep up being a pest, because you should crack a ton with a 100 thumbs down this thread. You greens are a disgrace to every decent kiwi. You are plastic false fools devoid of any moral substance. Everybody knows the greens are suffering from delusions of grandeur. New Zealand grows tiresome with such meaningless gits.
Vote:March 6th, 2009 at 8:49 am
dad – Please don’t give me one of your scarey bad karma thumb downs. I can’t live without your love.
Vote:March 7th, 2009 at 12:29 am
Flip Greenfly, you touched his heart
No negative karma
watch mine though :0
Vote: