Campaign Countdown – 16 days to go
From today, the Taxpayers’ Union will be publishing a daily ‘campaign countdown’, outlining all the latest new from the parties, who is getting cut through, and all the latest spending promises for our Bribe-o-meter.
Joyce digging in on his comments on Labour’s budget blunder.English in Invercargill announced $72 million to help beneficiaries get off drugs and into work.
English in Invercargill announced $72 million to help beneficiaries get off drugs and into work.
Labour hitting hard on Joyce’s critique of their alternative budget. Phil Twyford came out firing: “it is the desperation of a government clinging to survival, evidenced by policy on-the-hoof, dodgy maths and dirty politics”.
First difficult day for Ardern, starting off by being compared to Donald Trump by the Wall Street Journal for her party’s stance on immigration. Comments on abortion have also come under fire from a disability advocacy group, as being discriminatory.
Greens say National’s benefit plan “punitive” and will force more into poverty.
No word yet on (overdue) alternative budget.
Announcement in Wellington tomorrow about plans to tighten the gender pay gap.
Peters has continued his hand-shaking tour of the regions. Promised to apologise to Australia for the actions of former New Zealand governments if he gets into power (in response to Ardern’s debate comments that she would retaliate if Australia cuts Kiwis from tertiary education).
Teacher’s unions are the reason for teacher’s poor salaries.
Claim English and Joyce have been misleading NZ on the country’s economic performance, saying NZ has been merely treading water.
Criticism of Joyce’s comments on Labour’s alternative budget. Joyce only partially right: seems he over cooked the egg and instead of Labour getting the blame for their accounting error and policy/website changes, it’s all on his face.
One News Colmar Brunton tomorrow. TOP need 3% to win a ticket to Friday’s leaders’ debate.
ACT Party is the biggest mover in the weekly update of the Bribe-O-Meter (its education/teachers pay policy costed at $3 billion over the next parliamentary term). ACT’s total still negative though – more cuts than promised spending.
Nats: $7.62b Lab: $22.82b Greens: $9.94b NZ First: $25.97b Maori: $12.17b ACT: $-2.43b TOP: $10.69b (all figures limited to costs within next Parliamentary term).