Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Trotter's advice for Ardern

Writing in today's DomPost:
A "Real Change" Government, determined to reverse the draconian policies adopted by a Ministry of Social development advised by neoliberal "experts", would call upon the experience and expertise of Sue Bradford and Metiria Turei. Those who find themselves astonished and/or offended by the thought of two such bitter opponents of this country's actuarially inspired and excessively punitive welfare system being asked to advise Jacinda's government on its root-and-branch reform should, perhaps, pause and consider just how radical (albeit from the opposite end of the political spectrum) was the "expert" advice that created it.

What were those "draconian" policies?

- funding early childhood education so single mothers could return to the workforce
- providing intensive monitoring for teenage parents
- asking parents receiving benefits to enrol their children with a GP
- increasing penalties (that Labour had introduced) for people who failed to turn up for interviews or pass drug tests
- creating a new category of benefit with no work-testing at all, the Supported Living Payment...
to name a few

Trotter seems to have forgotten that the last Labour government also tried many ways to reduce welfare numbers. The Jobs Jolt is just one example that the far left bitterly opposed.

Again a reality check is sorely required. Not only regarding Trotter's description of National's reforms but the idea that the new government would let Turei anywhere near it. Even I do not think the PM would be that stupid.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I find Ardern very scary, very hard left, and no depth at all.
I have a feeling the nz electorate will be very angry and frustrated.
Labour have taken a huge risk. Okay, they are the government, but it
was not as the result of an election win. It was the result of MMP, Winston Peters and backroom deals). The fact that Labour lost the actual election is the sticking point.
The first time in our MMP history, which was never designed to insert the losers into power. The Opposition is huge, with more electorate seats.
Fair minded Kiwis won't like that natural justice got denied, and that a very popular PM and party was denied power. So Labour very much starts on the back foot, and in the mix is WP, who is widely despised.
If he is given Deputy PM, will be even more so.
Things going pear shaped already, re Kermadec Sanct, and the coalition is brittle, with runctions likely.
Very much could turn out to be a one-term govt, National will pick up disgruntled votes, and there will be a sense with the public that the rightful govt is not in power. Roll on 2020, I hope that this turns out be the truly historical election, with labour punished for their unethical power grab, Greens and NZ First both knocked out and National getting to govern for many terms to come, with Act. To think we have Greens and NZ First driving policy, at seven percent and five percent, without a seat and no true mandate. Good luck to Labour at earning respect and credibiliy from an already shocked public. For my two cents Arden go completely owned by WP!