carcajou

I don't think what I said was out of line - nor do I think something as obviously in jest as comparing David Cunliffe to a ferret is remotely in the same league as drawling links to some of the worst mass murderers in history. I sincerely hope you see the difference too.

LoCarb

Perhaps I would take more notice of criticism if some of you had actually watched the video or had lived through what was an extreme social experiment, the like of which no other western country had endured to the same extent.

The National government of the time openly boasted of how New Zealand had become the model for neoliberal deregulation, and observers were gathering from around the world to marvel at how we did it and with so little effective opposition! (the reason for that being that everyone had buggered off to Australia).

The extremism which some of you accuse me of would be a better fit with the then NZ Labour & National parties that inflicted such misery.

LoCarb

No way would I vote for those twits.
Like most "We have to balance the budget" politicians, they are neoliberal-light (as Bill Mitchell calls them).

Anyway...back to the chain-sawing for me

carcajou

I have worked in numerous conflict zones, third- and fourth-world countries and know very well what an "extreme social experiment" looks like - and what it does not look like, which is why I find your perspective to be Western-centric, puddle-shallow and extremely sheltered. Nor do I care that you watched some video and think I should be influenced by it - do you think I am 16 years old?

Your statement that no other Western country has "endured" a "social experiment" like Rogernomics/Ruthanasia is a perfect example as you seem to have forgotten about Nazism, Communism, Fascism, the Holocaust, the Gulags, military dictatorships, and so on that have been in Europe as late as the 1970s and 1980s. Not to mention the reunification of Germany and all the changes in Eastern Europe after the Berlin Wall fell.

And that's just Europe . . . and in the lifetimes of people still on this planet.

What about Australia with social legislation concerning Aboriginals and the United States with African-Americans? That is also in the not-distant past.

If you are really putting Rogernomics and Ruthanasia on the same pedestal as all that, I quadruple down on my advice for you to get a grip on reality. World history did not begin in 1990.

I would say the same exact thing to anyone else who compares Jim Bolger to Pol Pot, Trump to Hitler or Helen Clark to Stalin.

It isn't possible to have civilised discussions if people are going to make very extreme and unhinged comments comparing people like Jim Bolger and his government to genocidal dictators.

LoCarb

Trying to think of what to say???
But cheers for the comment.
I suppose people sleeping in cars is pretty insignificant really compared to what you have experienced.
The one-third of children living in poverty in NZ is of no consequence compared to "Nazism, Communism, Fascism", but hey, nothing to worry about.
It's all relative isn't it. Especially when it doesn't have to be this way.

Charismatic

So latest round of polling. Labour polling well, Winston/NZF still looks like they'll hold the balance, National little changed, The Green Party will now have to campaign very, very hard just to make the cut.

chocolate cake

Yeah, well the Greens have it coming and not surprising to see them hovering around 5% and danger of returning zero MPs. Undoubtedly Jacinda Ardern seems a nice person, but it's disappointing to see that Politics or the Polls so far just seems to be a personality contest.
It shouldn't be a reality tv contest, but that seemed to be very much John Key's main attraction, people preferred having a pint with him rather than Cunliffe.

As it is Labour's policies are little different from two weeks ago, and those new policies announced are hardily immediately appealing ones:-
- light rail for Auckland to the airport isn't going to solve Auckland's traffic issues, and why should Aucklander's pay for it? when it would be likely to benefit visitors more than locals. Decent rail is needed, but much better to have say proper rail link to say Hamilton, and try and spread out some of the growth.
- water royalties - while there's a good case for royalties on bottled water exports, elsewhere it likely to be just another charge to consumers for fruit & veg as the costs will get simply passed on. Though supposedly shouldn't do milk, cheese n butter if we're really charged world prices.

Charismatic

Most of them around east cape. Perhaps police want to kick down more doors in Ngāi Tūhoe country looking for Helen Clarks missing Nobel peace prize?

Bo-Jangles

Seems the Nats are pulling out the big guns this week: Bill English seen out and about kissing babies, announcing new hospital for Dunedin and now some new roads.

LoCarb

Public-private partnership so the wealthy can make a profit from public services.

Tom H

😁😁😁😁😁

2014 is calling, they want their National bribes back.

Our "gamechanger" road was arranged 6 years ago, and not even gonna be ready for at least another 10 years.

chocolate cake

So Peter Dunne announces he's stepping down, and becomes the 4th leader to quit as we enter the Election countdown. Though it's not as if United Future were offering much, just simply being a freebie seat for National like the ACT party has become at Epsom.

Bo-Jangles

I can't find a link but laughed so much when I saw the front page of the Herald today 'Survivor NZ Election'

I'm looking forward to the next tribal council and l'm hoping that when the tribe has spoken that Gareth Morgan will be the next one to get his torch snuffed out.

Charismatic

Labour have lurched right on tax policy. No change to tax banding or plans for a capital gains tax. Aside from a pretty face what is labour offering National cannot?

LoCarb

Ha Ha
What were you expecting from a neoliberal party.