Last weekend Don Brash outlined the necessary path National needs to take if Ne Zealand is ever to be extracted from the mire into which successive governments have dug it. His dressing down was necessary, because the current poll-driven government lacks any clear direction of its own.
Brash delivered a list of inconvenient truths that John Key must now address:
- National’s failure to reinstate the Youth Minimum Wage, the abandonment of which has disastrously increased unemployment among young people
- National’s failure to abolish zoning laws, which has kept housing unaffordable for many New Zealanders
- National’s failure to narrow the income gap with Australia
- National’s failure to cut government spending
- National’s failure to get rid of Labour election bribes such as subsidised student loans and child care
- National’s failure to do anything beyond window-dressing to the Resource Management Act
- National’s xenophobia about foreigners investing money in New Zealand
- National’s illusionary cut in company tax, which was wiped out by changes in rules regarding depreciation
- National’s destructive imposition of carbon taxes on industries who dare to produce something
- National’s embrace of tribalism and racism in its choice of coalition partner
This is a summary judgement that any responsible government would already have seen to.
While my party would take issue with any minimum wage laws at all, I think his list is a useful – though by no means exhaustive – indication of just how comprehensively this government has failed those who voted for it.
This is a government is utterly devoid of any vision. Like the Labour one that came before it, the dominant priority is retaining power at all costs.
There is no secret agenda. There are no secret plans to privatize anything. They have no intention at all of liberating New Zealanders from excessive taxation and regulation.
What a complete waste of time these last two years have been.
What a vacuous waste of space this Key-led Government has been.
Even though he must surely know Dr Brash’s prescription is correct, I hold no expectation that John Key will have listened to anything that was said to him.
Unless serious moves are made to stop the government living beyond its means, however—which will not happen as long as Bill English retains a ministerial house—the standard of living for Kiwis will only continue to drop further.
What a waste. What a complete bloody disgrace.
* * Read Dr McGrath’s column here ever Wednesday at NOT PC * *
7 comments:
Course he won't listen. When has he ever listened so far, except to what the Left want? He doesn't listen to majority view, ignores the voters and referendums.
Roll on next year, I personally hope Goff wins.
Don Brash should start a right wing party (to the right of ACT but left of Libz). I will vote for that party, because I don't know of who to vote for anymore. National is Labour lite and ACT is National.
Yup. Brash should do a Bob Jones and create a liberalism option for the next election. Target men 40 yrs & over. Leave the Nats to the fretting women.
the ACT brand is spent unfortunately, it offered so much, but fell apart due to internal wrangles. Something needs to come up to offer those of us who despair at the Selling out done by National. ACT isn't going to pull the Nats to the centre, let alone to the right, so someone else has to do it. Brash could quite comfortably take 10% if he targeted the wealth producers, and then it would be a much easier option to get National back to their roots as far as ideology is concerned.
Alternatively, why not recruit Brash for the Libertarianz? All the Libz need is a bit of mainstream media recognition. This would do it. Then the ideas might have a shit show of seeping into the public consciousness, and overriding or undoing all of the bullshit "think-of-the-children"ism that passes for government these days.
The country is getting what the majority want. End of story. Complain all you like, that is the reality. So we must educate the voters.
@Former Nat Supporter and others...
"to the right of ACT but left of Libz".
I'm going to take issue with this statement and I think it needs to be remembered again and again. The Libz are not 'right-wing'. Right wing parties tend to advocate a productive role for government in supporting business and pandering to business elites. The Libz simply are indifferent to right wing interests, just as they are indifferent to left wing interests (such as the cultural elites or unions).
This is not a minor point. Characterising the Libz as 'right wing' is no slight twist of semantics, but is a complete misrepresentation of the Libz policies and philosophical meaning.
Post a Comment