The New Zealand General Election.
Nov 8th 2008, 10:01 am
#1
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Posts: 38,612
The New Zealand General Election.
Today New Zealand had it's General Election.
It is basically a two horse race. Labour won the previous 3 terms and on this occasion National has won the day.
Helen Clark stands down
More HERE
Winston Peters
Sharples - Maori
It is basically a two horse race. Labour won the previous 3 terms and on this occasion National has won the day.
Helen Clark stands down
More HERE
Winston Peters
Sharples - Maori
Nov 8th 2008, 3:39 pm
#2
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Joined: Mar 2006
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 79
Re: The New Zealand General Election.
A quick Q for all those who know. Will the change of government have any major effect on those of us in the throws of applying for a visa?
Nov 8th 2008, 6:23 pm
#3
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 87
Re: The New Zealand General Election.
I very much doubt the election will have any immediate effect on the visa process - you should be fine!
I suspect that the first and most obvious changes will be in the benefits system (National don't like the 'Working for Families' tax credits) and in certain areas of the Civil Service (a general reduction in the size of the state).
The ACT party (likely part of a coalition with National) will doubtless press strongly for large-scale privatisation of assets, but I'm not convinced that any companies have the funds to buy state assets at present!
I suspect that the first and most obvious changes will be in the benefits system (National don't like the 'Working for Families' tax credits) and in certain areas of the Civil Service (a general reduction in the size of the state).
The ACT party (likely part of a coalition with National) will doubtless press strongly for large-scale privatisation of assets, but I'm not convinced that any companies have the funds to buy state assets at present!
Nov 8th 2008, 6:38 pm
#4
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Joined: Sep 2008
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 18
Re: The New Zealand General Election.
ACT is a dangerous party as far as immigrants are concerned. Immigration policy could well change, but probably not very soon. ACT wants to stop PRs voting, and put limits on immigration. And they're now in coalition with National. Not good.
Nov 8th 2008, 8:34 pm
#5
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,285
Re: The New Zealand General Election.
Today New Zealand had it's General Election.
It is basically a two horse race. Labour won the previous 3 terms and on this occasion National has won the day.
Helen Clark stands down
More HERE
Winston Peters
Sharples - Maori
It is basically a two horse race. Labour won the previous 3 terms and on this occasion National has won the day.
Helen Clark stands down
More HERE
Winston Peters
Sharples - Maori
Last edited by BEVS; Nov 8th 2008 at 10:35 pm. Reason: oops Soz. Pressed wrong button LOL Sorry LW
Nov 8th 2008, 10:36 pm
#6
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Thread Starter
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Re: The New Zealand General Election.
True luvwelly. I was being lazy.
Nov 8th 2008, 11:46 pm
#7
By name and by nature
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,852
Re: The New Zealand General Election.
For me, and for every woman here, I believe the most important thing they're going to do is force Pharmac to fund Herceptin for 1 year (as is the case in 32 other countries) instead of the paltry 9 weeks it is currently funded for. Thank God, it's not an issue for me at the moment but who doesn't know someone for whom it is an issue? The fact that Pharmac is supposed to be independent is irrelevant IMO - the Government should have the final say in decisions like this - after all, our taxes pay for the service.
Nov 9th 2008, 9:44 am
#8
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Re: The New Zealand General Election.
Although I am loathe to say it (as my Aunty was struck down with breast cancer just after she came to visit us here last year) the attitude of the Nats to Herceptin was the "last straw" for me and meant that I did not vote for them in either box.
As the Green Party Health Spokesperson Sue Kedgley said
pulling the rug out from under Pharmac is a dangerous precident IMHO.......even one of Herceptin's vocal advocates, an Auckland Oncologist, who's name slips my mind, commented on this on NZ National Radio when the policy was made official, saying that this way of making policy is wrong, even in the case of a "wonder drug" or "magic bullet" for that disease.
In fact it is more like an interventionist nanny state telling the experts what to do with its money rather than the lighty-regulated utopia that Mr Key wants us to live in......
...of course it's good for votes......sonder if that had anything to do with it??? 
As the Green Party Health Spokesperson Sue Kedgley said
Pharmac’s decision to turn down additional funding to extend Herceptin funding from 9 weeks to 12 months is a bitter blow for many New Zealand women.
"Many women will be devastated that they are being denied an apparently life saving drug,"
"However, politicians must respect the independence of Pharmac and the ability of their expert committee to make decisions based on clinical considerations.
"We cannot have pork barrel politics, or politicians intervening to decide which drugs should get funded, and which should not. This would result in drugs being funded because they had the most effective lobbyists, rather than necessarily for clinical reasons."
"Politicians do not have the clinical expertise to make decisions about which drugs to fund. However much we might wish to interfere, we must leave it to experts to decide.
"There were two petitions relating to Herceptin before the Health select committee, and Pharmac’s decision would increase interest in the consideration of these petitions"
"Many women will be devastated that they are being denied an apparently life saving drug,"
"However, politicians must respect the independence of Pharmac and the ability of their expert committee to make decisions based on clinical considerations.
"We cannot have pork barrel politics, or politicians intervening to decide which drugs should get funded, and which should not. This would result in drugs being funded because they had the most effective lobbyists, rather than necessarily for clinical reasons."
"Politicians do not have the clinical expertise to make decisions about which drugs to fund. However much we might wish to interfere, we must leave it to experts to decide.
"There were two petitions relating to Herceptin before the Health select committee, and Pharmac’s decision would increase interest in the consideration of these petitions"
In fact it is more like an interventionist nanny state telling the experts what to do with its money rather than the lighty-regulated utopia that Mr Key wants us to live in......
...of course it's good for votes......sonder if that had anything to do with it???
