Tax Old People (TOP) Party surfing on a media-manufactured wave
"Journalists would be negligent if they ignored smaller parties ..., but the media have a peculiar enthusiasm for the possibility of an Opportunity Party breakthrough.
"The extensive media coverage that has preceded Opportunity’s recent surge in the polls appeared to arrive out of nowhere. ... [And] The type of coverage it is receiving is stellar. Uncritical. Top notch. The kind of stuff you can’t even pay for. ...
"The Opportunity Party is routinely described as 'centrist' ... [yet j]ournalists apparently haven’t felt any obligation to explain why the label applies or whether it accurately reflects the party’s policy platform. ... [which] is calling for socialised public transport, proposing universal pocket money for all, sneering at women’s rights, and running a roster full of Green-esque candidates. Its General Manager is former Labour minister ... Iain Lees-Galloway. And one of the authors of 'He Puapua' is a key candidate for the party ... Opportunity’s flagship proposals involve new taxes, substantial redistribution, and a much more activist role for government in directing economic outcomes. ...
"Take the land tax, for example. ... [A] tax of that scale would represent one of the most significant changes to New Zealand’s tax system in decades. ... [Yet instead of analysis] we get another profile of Qiulae Wong with about as much useful information as a 'Woman’s Day' puff piece. ...
"They are a more palatable and polished Green Party with better business acumen, and an honest media would reflect that so that voters who are inclined toward that kind of politics are informed they have options. Instead I suspect we will be served more of the promotional slop that desperately tries to create an alternative kingmaker because the media loathe the influence of New Zealand First."
2 comments:
The "opportunity" they're excited about is to make us all beneficiaries, dependent on the state for a UBI whilst pretending to be centrist. On this point at least, Luxon on was right.
It's a party of left-oriented academics/public servants and grifters of the consultancy industrial complex (I should know!), out to solve problems through taxing and spending. Some other policies include free public transport, more money for state healthcare and education, so much for "evidence based" policy when it's just rinse and repeat Labour nonsense.
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