Gap increases to 33%
Tonight’s TV3 poll has National 33% ahead of Labour. And this poll was taken during one of the messiest periods on record for National. It is consistent with the Roy Morgan poll published earlier this week that has a 29.5% gap.
This is the equal highest in a Tv3 poll, the same as they got in Feb 2009. In Feb 2009 the Government was very much in honeymoon mode. Since then there has been a budget that cancelled tax cuts and super fund contributions, a huge by-election loss, a Ministerial scandal, the smacking referendum, investigations of two backbench MPs, controversy over the Auckland Super City, Bill English’s housing problems, infighting between Government support parties, and the Rugby World Cup fiasco. And despite all that Labour is still at 27%!
Since 1974, the only time a party has had a bigger gap than 33% was the May to Aug 1990 Heylens for National. Note this was pre multi-party MMP.
The poll also reveals that John Key is at 56% as preferred PM, and Phil Goff a very distant third at 5%, around half Helen Clark at 8%. Now there is something wrong when you have been Opposition Leader for a year, and you can just make half of your predecessor who doesn’t even live here anymore.
The 51% gap between Key and Goff is also unprecedented. The closest we have seen is a 41% gap in February 2003 between Clark and English. So the gap is 10% higher than a poll taken after National had its worst ever election result, and in the year English was rolled.
When TV3 had similar results in February 2009, I blogged:
“Now a week is a long time in politics, and the next election is 33 months away. Goff is under no threat for now. But if he doesn’t make some traction towards the end of the year, he may find the summer of 2010 is BBQ at Dave’s place”
Up until now I have consistently said that I think Goff is very likely to lead Labour into the 2011 election. I am now thinking these last two polls have changed things.
As a comparison, in Australia Malcolm Turnbull is considered unlikely to survive until their election, which is only a year away. And the Coalition is only 15.5% behind the Labor Party – not 33%.
There is no clear successor to Goff, and there was a covenant that he would be safe until the election. However I suspect several senior MPs will be texting New York asking for guidance, as to how long they should hold off for.
Personally I don’t think Goff is the issue for Labour – he may just become the scapegoat. I think Labour continues to be massively out of touch with the electorate. They don’t realise the global recession changed the political landscape.
Issues like RWC broadcasting is a beltway issue. It may not be at the time of the RWC, but it is for now. The economy is still the number one issue.
Now Labour is on the wrong side of spending cuts. Even Gordon Brown has caught on that the public are now pro spending cuts. But Labour keep positioning themselves as the enemies of fiscal responsibility.
Likewise on ACC, they think the public are on their side on the proposed changes. They do not realise how many people resent the amount they are being forced to pay in ACC levies, for little benefit.
And even with industrial disputes, Labour has misread much of the public mood. Labour have got involved with almost every industrial dispute in NZ, supporting demands for higher wages. They do not realise that most of NZ recognises a recession with growing unemployment is a time for restraint. People are more worried about keeping jobs, than pay increases.
A couple of years ago these issues would all have been winners for Labour. In boom times with massive surpluses people did want more spending, wider ACC coverage, and higher wages for all workers. But Labour’s inability to understand that the global recession has changed things, is why New Zealanders are saying they are irrelevant. Labour are relying on the old Muldoon adage that the average person wouldn’t know a deficit if they tripped over one. Today people are more economically literate and when you have a $10 billion deficit, policies of tax more, spend more and borrow more don’t resonate.
If Goff wants to survive, he needs to reposition Labour into a more realistic position. I think he personally may understand this, but whether he can carry his caucus with him is the challenge.
October 18th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
You’re right – the decision on the Labour leadership will be made in New York. I think she’ll opt to keep him. She’ll say they shouldn’t panic. Probably good advice.
October 18th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
I don’t think Labour’s caucus will roll Mr Goff. While there will be a few Labour MPs who are worried about losing their seats in Parliament at the next election, the experience of electing Mr Moore to try and stop the rot in 1990, and seeing the inability of Mr English to turn things around for National in 2002, means that nobody would be stupid enough to take the leadership before 2011.
Mr Cunliffe, Mr Jones and Mr Cosgrove might all have egos the size of a house, but I don’t think even they think they would survive the leadership post the 2011 election if they were the leader. Much better for them to let Mr Goff take the blame for it.
It is interesting to see that Mr Goff has been prepared to be absent for such a long time out of the country when his poll ratings are so low. It is almost an invitation to his caucus to roll him. The fact they haven’t suggests to me that nobody will.
October 18th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Both John Key and National are retaining – even increasing – their high levels of support.
They have done this after a series of decisions (or non-decisions) which have disappointed, even angered, his right flank, including many who comment on this blog. Yet there has been no political cost to National, no boost for ACT or NZ First or any minor party at all.
So why would he change? The public are telling him to keep doing what he’s doing, which is: nothing very much, except banning things every so often.
Expect more of the same.
October 18th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
“..Tonight’s TV3 poll has National 33% ahead of Labour. And this poll was taken during one of the messiest periods on record for National..”
no..actually..d.p.f..
the polling stopped early last week..
before the mtv/acc cock-ups..
burst into life..
and i reckon goff has got a bit longer..
the way national are going..with the string of fuck-ups by incompetent ministers..
the wheels could fall completely off key/nationals’ trolley..
‘cos..y’see..!..a large part of this support..
comes from the fact the public are believing the ‘the recession is over!’-bullshit..
you can’t blame them tho’..
the politicians are lying to them..
and the m.s.m. is failing..once again..
and is just acting as cheer-leaders/peddlers of this moronic/ill-thought-out bullshit..
by this time next year..
the doo-doo will be even deeper..
(that’s me relying on the opinions of the people who ‘got it right’..
..about the crack-up last year..)
and when the people realise they have been bullshitted to..
and not protected..
they will get really pissed-off/angry..
and internationally..?
how long d’yareckon before america/britain explode in unemployed riots..?
the anger at the greed of the bankers is almost palpable..
and a simple trigger..
will set it off..
so..in summary:..
when key comes clean/the next meldown..(the big one) hits../the people realise the lies they have been told.
these polls will be a distant mirage..
phil(whoar.co.nz)
[DPF: Poor Phil. He predicted just a few hours ago that National was doomed and this is a one term Govt. And then this polls shows the opposite. The prophet of doom is again doomed.
And the poll covered Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue and Wed of this week. Your desperation at explaining this away it hilarious. You fail to grasp this is about bigger issues than shoddy political management. It is about the economy, and Labour has positioned itself on the wrong side of the debate]
October 18th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Labour still think we are running a massive surplus on the Government accounts, that there is NO global recession. And that all Government spending cuts should be stopped, LEAVE ACC alone, it is just fine. And all policies National is doing to respond to the Global financial crisis is merely a hoax to soften the public for PRIVATISATION. Well the public have other ideas as Labour fall down to their bed-rock support. They are not dead yet and they can pack a solid punch, but I think it will be a long time people will trust the Labour Party with the economy.
October 18th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
This really is a fantastic lead. At this rate maybe Labour will declare defeat, pack up shop, and call it quits. Given that the job of the opposition is to, ostensibly, keep the Government of the day honest, we are blessed to have a National-ACT Government that doesn’t require prodding to get things done or keep on the straight path. If he manages to roll up Labour, maybe we could give Goff a knighthood for his troubles?
October 18th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
DPF, only one gap I’m interested in, and its not another poll. Poll driven politics is the ruination of good policy.
The gap I’m interested in is the one Key is also interested in – the wages gap between NZ and Aus, and I don’t see jonkey doing a lot about it. Why is that?
[DPF: Off topic 10 demerits]
October 18th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
National has done nothing at all. I think its about time they started working on moving towards the right a bit, though preserving a centerist image is going to be essential to accomplish anything in this country for a while. But if national fail to reintroduce competition to ACC I suspect I will severly disillusioned and so will other right wingers. I cannot believe that competition for ACC is considered a right wing policy, not an everybody policy. Nobody loses if ACC has competition, nobody at all.
October 18th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Surely the time has come to open a book on how long it will take Labour to slip below 20% party vote in any major poll?
And another thing, why are the pollsters listing such a long list of drongo preferred Labour leaders without including the current de facto leader, the spokesman for anger management, Trevor Mallard?
October 18th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
“Nobody loses if ACC has competition, nobody at all.”
Typical right wing lie. there are no winners without losers, so if there are no losers, there are no winners, so nothing changes so need for a change.
[DPF: You really believe that? That explains so much. A classic left view of the world but so discredited it is rare to find a believer that for every winner there must be a loser]
October 18th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
It is interesting that the number of extra bans, government spending, taxation, the weak leadership, and general Labour liteness increase proportionately with the Nats’ poll increases.
Says it all about the NZ public, really. Thats what happens when you make most of the state dependant on some kind of “benefit” or “entitlement” or similar.
October 18th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
billyborker says: “there are no winners without losers, so if there are no losers, there are no winners.”
In a single sentence, he shows the total failure of The Standard Left to understand the simplist ideas about how an economy works. Ultimately, the difference between the left and the right is that the right can understand the concept of dynamism whereas the left can only comprehend static analysis.
October 18th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Very interesting points, Mr Fiinkensein.
Mr Mallard has ruled out accepting the leadership on many occasions although it is clear that he is to the Labour Party what Mr Putin is to the Russian Government.
[DPF: Now that is a great comparison]
October 18th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
“..[DPF: Poor Phil. He predicted just a few hours ago that National was doomed and this is a one term Govt. And then this polls shows the opposite. The prophet of doom is again doomed..”
um..!..i repeat..the only reason key/national are polling so high..
is because they are peddling the ‘false-recovery-mantra’..
and are not telling us what we really face..
the economic-realities will swamp their lies/any credibility..
and i guess you..dpf..
are just going to just compound your complete failure to see that meltdown last yr..eh..?
the score there is:..me right since 2006..you (scoffing and) wrong forever..eh..?
“..And the poll covered Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue and Wed of this week…
tv news said the polling stopped on tuesday…who should i/we believe..?
and that is well before these ripened..
“.. Your desperation at explaining this away it hilarious. You fail to grasp this is about bigger issues than shoddy political management.”
so..you do concede the ‘shoddy political management..’..eh..?
“.. It is about the economy,.”
indeed..dpf..it is..!..
and the lies being told/peddled..
eh..?
(will this go as always..?
and you don’t answer/address the rebuttal..?
not a ‘good look’..eh..?)
phil(whoar.co.nz)
October 18th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
We’ll all be rooned, said Hanrahan.
Bad luck Phil, Somebody wrote your poem about 120 years ago.
Still, if you keep harping on about it, you’ll be proved right one day, in about thirty years time when the next major recession comes along.
October 18th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
but, what type of clown would want helen back?
nearly 1 in 10 people, all that proves is that 1 in 10 people are completely bonkers.
October 18th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
wreck1080, what percentage of New Zealand’s population is employed by the state? They would support getting Our Dear Leader to return.
Edit: Just realised that my 666th post is on the topic of pure evil…
October 18th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
On Billyborker and his hissy fit.
No Billy, ACC IS broke and has to be fixed.
And as someone whose organisation with a great safety record benefited to the tune of over $15,000 p.a. last time ACC was opened up to competition …. well, I rest my case.
Billy, you and yours are the reason why Labour is trending south at a rate of knots.
Unable to see through your ideological timewarp and still unaware the the electorate has passed judgement on you.
Bit like the condemned man suggesting a more comfortable placement of the noose.
October 18th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
how is Helen and H2 doing in New York??? for such an important high ranking position and the fact she comes from this little country, there seems to be a lack of feedback. We had Paul Henry go over and we saw her texting somebody, hubby, Philin or may her choosen one, in the background but apart from that nothing .. oh, the little red roster went over soon after to get his instructions.
Is it possible, God forbid, she maybe come back soon? ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
October 18th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
is that right adolf..?
gee..!..those economists etc i am listening to on this were so right about their other predictions..since 2006..in fact..
that i feel their track-record on this deserves a degree of respect..
whereas yrself..?..
you were scoffing right up untill the day..eh..?
you were proved wrong then..
and by this time next year..
you will be proved wrong again..
do you really think a 50% bubble on the stockmarket..
(financed by all that free gummint-money sloshing around..looking for a home..)
is in any way sustainable..?
given every other aspect of the american economy is going down the toilet..?
really..?
phil(whoar.co.nz)
October 18th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
good analysis.
national… balancing the new found support with the expectations of the old.
goodluck.
October 18th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Tim Ellis
“…he is to the Labour Party what Mr Putin is to the Russian Government.”
Could this be the archetypal Muscovite Duck?
October 18th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
No matter how much sense the politics of responsibilty and sensibility are proven, those who sit to the left will never accept the results nor consider a change in their beliefs. Rather they will remain stuck to their ideology on principle… (The same can also be ssaid for most people though)
But in the context of John Key and his Government – Labour supporters will deny his success in gaining popular support instead they will try and slag mud when possible.
As Grant Said, why would they want change – when this will mean they can no longer be chardonnay socialist’s sitting in a nice resturant congratulating each other on how nice people they are making sure everybody has ‘equal oppotunity’s’ whilst they live of the tax payer dollar…
Not to mention the amount of those who advocate for higher tax whilst using trust’s and investment properties to avoid their share of the payment.
For those who claim John Key is not doing anything – perhaps this should be a sign to support the minority coalition parties (up to you which one) in the hope that the tail will continue to wag the dog
October 18th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
“Today people are more economically literate and when you have a ten billion deficit, polices of tax more spend more don’t resonate”. Would love to think you are right David but how much has really changed since the fruit loops were shown the door. Either it was good management from the Nats or simply good luck but we appeared to have dodged a bullet and missed the worst of a recession. I note howling coming from all political persuasions whenever budget cuts are mentioned or the simple fact that we can’t afford it is brought up. I struggle to see many “economically literate” and that seems to include quite a few in the National party. I will even agree with Philu on this one, we are far from been out of the woods while we are borrowing 250 million a week and will remain well and truly stuck in the woods for the foreseeable future.
October 18th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
I know I should not respond to you phool.
But you are just so loonie I cannot help myself.
FFS go and commit another crime.
Whoar eh………
October 18th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
They do not realise how many people resent the amount they are being forced to pay in ACC levies, for little benefit.
Yep. Unionist filth sticking up posters calling for MARCH! DAY OF ACTION AGAINST STUBBED TOE ACC CUTS don’t help the general image of the left wing. They refuse to move out of the comfortable denial bubble they’ve made for themselves.
October 18th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Attention Philu the Philucked Philustein…
Dear Philu most phlapabble, phirst and phormost phront-runner of phruitloops: your philu-osophy is as relevant today as a draught horse on a canal towpath. Socialism, a pheeble, phading philosophy soon to be phorgotten phorever, has proved just another phailed utopia.
Be phlegmatic and phly into the 21st century, and phorsake the phucking phullstops.
October 18th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Haha, Grant, my 666th post suggested that the Gweens and NZF should unite based on their shared values of economic protectionism and social tribalism. Truly a number that arises evil!
October 18th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
15 off topic posts to this point.
(excluding this one)
Even this is off topic [DPF: You really believe that? That explains so much. A classic left view of the world but so discredited it is rare to find a believer that for every winner there must be a loser]
October 18th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
DPF said: Today people are more economically literate and when you have a $10 billion deficit, policies of tax more, spend more and borrow more don’t resonate.
the more things are said the more they stay the same. Policies of tax more are still there. spend more is still there so in essence nothing has changed. Oh yeah Bills not going to tax more but he is still determined to spend more and collect more just like the last lot. No reduction in expenses of note. The odd dollar here and there but nothing of significance.
October 18th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
So we’ve had 9 years of Labour’s socialist regime whereby entitlement’itus lead to increasing support, offset by increasing frustration with their hubris and lies.. which eventually tipped them out. Will National be any different? Time will tell.
Also, these stratospheric poll results could be problem. Not for National’s re-election (no, they’ll be returned and MP’s will improve their incomes and gold-plated pension entitlements), but for our country’s future 20 years out. I can see no signs that the bloated state sector (NZ at 31.82% of GDP vs. Oz at 23.89%) is being corrected, nor is there any disinclination to create new taxes. How can we possibly close the gap with Oz with this backdrop?
So let’s watch if Key uses his support to ensure a comfortable re-election, or to serve as a mandate to make the tough calls that are essential if my children and grandchildren are to remain Kiwis.
October 18th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Hmm, that Tax/GDP link is a bit stuffed. Source here: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/tax_tax_rev_of_gdp-taxation-tax-revenue-of-gdp
October 18th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
link broken getstaffed.
edit: right thanks
October 18th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
The OECD seems to have better data (for their countries at least): http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/48/27/41498733.pdf A lot of countries with higher %s which aren’t exactly hell holes.
October 18th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
In everything there are opportunities.
National have a prime opportunity to carry out a major restructure of taxes and benefits. In their next term. Use the rest of this term to evaluate, test the waters, ready to put a comprehensive plan to the electorate in 2011. They can put in place some more minor fixes and preparatory changes in the meantime. This won’t please the righties who expected things to be turned upside down by lunchtime but it is a better and safer way to make major changes. Rushing into this would have most likely have caused at least as many problems as it solved, for the country, and it would most likely hurt National.
Goff has an opportunity too, and he has shown that he can do this. It seems almost impossible for Labour to recover enough to win in 2011, so there isn’t much point in going through the opposition motions, that would gain little if anything. All it would achieve is for Goff to be ousted after the election and the rebuilding process to restart under someone new.
Goff could do much better not by trying to be opposition leader, but instead doing more of what he has been doing recently – being a support party leader, doing what he can to help the government and help the country. Sure, call the government to account when warranted, but be selective and fair. He would look much more like a potential leader by helping lead our politics into a more co-operative age.
No need to care about the polls – do the right thing and they will eventually take care of themselves. Maybe too late for him to be PM, but nothing to lose. If Labour continue with business as usual Goff is destined to be remembered as the failed leader of a failed party. Instead, he could be seen as one of or the best opposition leaders working for the good of the country, and that will ultimately help Labour.
October 18th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
It’s not just Labour that is out of touch with reality – so are their supporters. Today I had to spend a while driving and listened to Labour supporter Chris Laidlaw interviewing some people about some “feel good” environmental programme in schools that has had its funding cut.
My jaw dropped to listen to the lefties rave on about all the vague soft and indirect benefits they claimed were going to be lost, because the Govt felt there were more effective ways to spend my hard earned tax money in schools, like improving literacy. These people were hard core social manipulators but no way could they see that their work was not needed. Under Labour they have been allowed to believe they are doing useful work, when it falls clearly in the “nice to have but only if you can afford it” category – the Mercedes you would like when a Toyota does the job just fine. Phil Goff must have a huge issue trying to reach out to practical NZers while retaining the support he has from such out of touch people – and there are still plenty of them. Can’t see how he can appeal to both groups, and perhaps therein lies his problem, and the fate of Labour until reality bites for its supporters.
October 18th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
I have a distinct feeing that National is more trusted on the economy than Labour in these times. And that includes being fair when it comes to cuts that need to be made. And National is more trusted on taxes. Labour is in denial, they are in denial about losing the election, though on these poll numbers surely they think something happened, but worst of all they are in denial about the state of the economy they left behind.
October 18th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
tvb – you may well be right, but ‘trust’ won’t improve our long term economic prognosis. Action is what’s required.
Key may well be planning to build political capital to provide a strengthened mandate for such action, but I say that a year after being comfortably voted in, and with soaring approval ratings, that the mandate exists.
Or does it? Do the approval ratings only reflect shortsighted NZers breathing a sigh of relief that their little bit of entitlement doesn’t look threatened?
October 18th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Not sure that the RWC was completely a beltway issue. There certainly seemed to be raised eyebrows about the place and it got a good thrashing on Radio Sport although I suspect that the average punter’s thought process went: “Maori TV wants the RWC – odd, but I’ve got Sky/access to Sky, WTF – now the govt is wants to spend taxpayers money on TV1/TV3 bid – bloody politicians if I ran my company/business/workshop that way, oh, Key seems to have sorted it again – is it the weekend now?”
October 18th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
The tsunami of the global economic crisis hit the Government and the Labour Party simply does not get it. The public have and they trust National to respond appropriately. Take ACC. There goes the Labour Party denying there was a problem, in fact they lied about it. They appose any measures to fix it. So are they really saying doing nothing is an option. The financial problem is a HOAX and the real agenda is privatisation??? Who the heck knows but their stance is quite unrealistic. But god knows NIck Smith may still mark up a political defeat on this, he is that BAD as a politician.
October 18th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
A lesson for borker
Two boys are pulling a small cart each up a hill. in each cart is a barrel of water. Two barrels of water every day has to get up the hill to a tank to keep the village alive and the crops growing. It is a chore they dont particularly like or enjoy and they are bored with it, however it is vital to the survival of the village. To make the chore more enjoyable, they decide to make a race out of it every day. Some day boy a wins some day boy b. Every day the village wins.
Okay, okay I know it is simplistic folks, but i am explaining something to a Labour/Green voter.
October 19th, 2009 at 12:52 am
“Nobody loses if ACC has competition, nobody at all.”
Typical right wing lie. there are no winners without losers, so if there are no losers, there are no winners, so nothing changes so need for a change.
[DPF: You really believe that? That explains so much. A classic left view of the world but so discredited it is rare to find a believer that for every winner there must be a loser]
I find myself Agreeing with Billy Borker here. If ACC was opened to competition, then people would have more incentive to manage and reduce their risk. The end result being lower premiums.
The winners would be anyone who is levied for ACC. The real losers will be the Health Care providers who will have fewer injuries to help pay their treatment fees.
October 19th, 2009 at 6:19 am
English won’t close the gap.
English doesn’t want to change, just more of the same and cherry picking the rich pricks.
English not convinced on GST rise
By VERNON SMALL – The Dominion Post
Last updated 05:00 19/10/2009
English not convinced on GST rise Bikers may take fees protest to Parliament National’s support surges as Labour tumbles Decision on foreshore law soon Maori Party aims for 18 seats Taxpayers ‘to subsidise big polluters’ ACC may open to competition Court action costs mounting for whitleblower Financial support not enough – Kuchenbecker Smith rues ‘unfortunate’ suicide remark
Low-income earners would have to be compensated if GST was increased as a result of the current tax review, Finance Minister Bill English says.
But the Government is not yet convinced of the benefits from a rise in GST, or new taxes such as land or capital gains tax.
A working group, chaired by Victoria University’s Professor Bob Buckle, is considering changes to the existing system and new “base-broadening” taxes.
It is due to report in December, and Professor Buckle yesterday pointed to New Zealand’s high corporate tax rate relative to other countries, and its heavy reliance on personal and business taxes as areas of possible reform.
An increase from 12.5 per cent to 15 per cent in the rate of GST would raise an extra $2 billion a year. That could be used to offset cuts to the corporate tax rate or fund the Government’s long-term plan to align maximum tax rates at 30 per cent.
But Mr English said significant changes would only be warranted if the benefits clearly outweighed potential difficulties.
Fairness was the main issue with a rise in GST.
“Low-income earners, in particular, would have to be compensated for any increase in GST,” he said in a speech to chartered accountants in Auckland. “The tax working group will have to come up with some fairly compelling reasons to convince us of the overall benefits of further property-related taxes or an increase in GST.”
Forecast revenue was falling steeply, and last week the Government said it would need to borrow an average of $250 million a week over the next four years.
Mr English said that as the world economy pulled out of recession other countries wrestling with debt would end up with smaller public services, lower pensions or increased taxes.
“We don’t want to go down the route of raising taxes,” he said. “The Government has a strong preference not to increase taxes to close the deficit. We prefer more efficient taxes over higher taxes.”
Most forms of income should be covered and, where possible, loopholes that allowed income to be sheltered from tax should be closed.
With one of the most mobile workforces among developed countries, New Zealand’s tax system must help attract and retain people, businesses and investment.
With that in mind, the Government was watching closely a parallel review in Australia, led by Treasury secretary Ken Henry.
October 19th, 2009 at 7:30 am
He is picking up support from the left. Why wouldn’t he, as his style and government are no threat to the bludging classes.
October 19th, 2009 at 7:31 am
Sorry Viking2, but you lost me as soon as I saw that the story was written by Vernon Small.
October 19th, 2009 at 7:34 am
I thought this was going to be about the economic gap with Australia. Until I realised 33% wasnt high enough
October 19th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Now hang on there……….
If anyone asks me for my advice (well actually even if they dont) I will will be telling them – in fact commanding them – to get rid of that little scroat who thinks hes in charge and for them to get a hard arsed female in charge of the place. Someone like ‘Old Yeller’ who has complete disregard for all the rules and who will kick people like Trev and that wastrel carter into line. And we will get some order back into this party and people will do as theyre told or else the kicking will continue until moral improves…………………….
[DPF: Heh very funny but please change your posting name in future to make it clear it is a parody]
October 19th, 2009 at 9:31 am
I know two Helen Clarks who are not ex-Prime Ministers.
[DPF: And if they comment here they can use an alias or include an initial so it is clear they are not the ex PM]
October 19th, 2009 at 9:49 am
In retrospect, doing nothing has been exactly the right thing to do. People are feeling more confident, property prices are increasing and they seem generally supportive of living off the coattails of Australia.
Labour won’t bepanicking since they have probably resigned themselves to eight years in opposition anyway.
Its the Maori Party and ACT who will be getting worried. If key can govern alone he can govern from the centre and can totally ignore everybody.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:07 am
No can’t be the real Dear One, way to polite.