Dom Post on Goff

I missed yesterday’s Dom Post editorial:

Labour leader Phil Goff is finding life is not easy in opposition.

He overplayed his hand in the Richard Worth affair, and now he  has botched efforts to offer an  alternative to the Government’s handling of the lengthening dole queues.

As has been well detailed.

The onus is now on Mr Goff to provide his own costing – and to explain how that would be funded at a time when the Government’s revenues are being shrunk by recession- diminished tax takes.

Simply whacking it on the bill is not the answer. Not only could that see New Zealand’s credit rating downgraded – adding to interest bills – it also saddles future generations with the consequences of the profligacy of those who were unwilling to live within their means.

Indeed Labour should provide costings of all their promises. I ant them to explain exactly how much they wish to increase taxes by or how much extra debt they wish to leave for future taxpayers to finance.

However, the bottom line is that Mr Goff does not recognise the reality of the situation New Zealand is in. The Government can take the sharp edge off the recession, but it cannot make it go away. The sooner Mr Goff accepts that, and acknowledges taxpayers should not be subsidising disappointed property investors, the sooner he will be able to start Labour on the comeback trail.

Here’s what is ironic. Many on the left have railed against property investors as having pushed house prices up, and contributed to the credit crisis. While Goff is advocating welfare for “disappointed property investors”.