A plan to close the wealth gap with Australia is "too radical" for Finance Minister Bill English, who says bringing the two countries to economic parity by 2025 is an "aspirational" rather than realistic goal.
So catching up with Australia is only an "aspirational" goal. Not a realistic one.
What a losing attitude. Do the AllBlacks have aspirational rather than realistic goals?
By the end of this week my entry (or more accurately, a photograph of my entry) into the biennial National Portrait competition is due. Do I want to win? You bet. There probably isn't a great chance given the high number of entries and the judge being an unknown quantity. But I went out and bought best quality canvas, re-stocked my paints and brushes, chose a subject close to my heart, studied it hard, took some chances with new colours and put in the hours. In other words I am doing what I have to, to be in with a chance - at the very least.
I didn't say, well, despite getting into every competition since it began, I have never won, so why bother. Or, if I just keep on doing what I always do the result will somehow change. I am not asking people what they think and ignoring what they tell me.
I hate having a mediocre, going-through-the-motions government. I am sick of Guy Smiley and his self-professed optimism. I heard him on radio saying I'm a glass-half-full kind of guy. Idiot. A glass half full is being filled. Our glass is half empty because it is being drained. NZ is not making progress economically and hasn't for a long time. What right does he have to refuse to act in the countries best long term interests? He can slum it with the best of them, side with the losers, molly coddle the moaners. But he's no leader. He's where he is in the polls because he isn't Helen.
In 2025 I will be 66. I don't care about the f-----g super John. Put the bloody age up. What I care about is whether my kids and grand kids will want to live here, will be able to afford to live here. But if you believe achieving strong economic growth isn't a realistic goal the chances of that happening will continue to slip away.
Thanks a lot John.
15 comments:
'Aspirational' is why you are only a Deputy, Mr English.
What a losing attitude. Do the AllBlacks have aspirational rather than realistic goals?
yep.
I don't care about the f-----g super John. Put the bloody age up.
It's too late for that Lindsay, and you know it.
We need to zero superannuation and all the other benefits. Just because some bludgers are over 60, or over 75, or over 70 or 80 or 90 doesn't make them any less bludgers
If we want to catch up with Australia - fuck it, if we want to catch up with Poland, with Brasil, with Chile, if we don't want to be the next Iceland we need to act immediately and finally.
It's time for a National Unity government to get NZ back on track! In WWI and WWII the country stopped having elections because winning the war was much more important. It's obvious we need the same tactic now - hold the next election in 2025.
That's the only way any government can make progress.
I wake up every morning and curse the fact that I was stupid enough to vote for this lot.
"Just because some bludgers are over 60, or over 75, or over 70 or 80 or 90 doesn't make them any less bludgers.."
Yes it does, you effing moron--unless you're suggesting that generations of people who worked damn hard, raised families and contributed greatly to the wealth and infrastructure of NZ are the equivalent of third-generation bludgers and yoof who've never contributed anything.
Given your demonstrated lack of intellect, perhaps you are...
Anon we are NOT at war. Freeze elections until 2025 with a National Unity Government? You are joking arent you?
If you arent joking you are a certifiable dickhead.
Annonymous aka sinner is spouting his bile over at whaleoil too
And no Minister Lucy. He/she needs to up the meds.
The National Party is a disgrace!
Sinner, since you're so ready to describe almost everybody as "bludgers", why don't you tell us all what you do for a living?
Anon we are NOT at war.
No, you're right, we're not. The situation of the country is more serious now than either during WWI or WWII. So we should behave at least as seriously as if we were at war!
Freeze elections until 2025 with a National Unity Government? You are joking arent you?
Nope - I'm deadly serious. The Brash report makes clear that what needs to be done is politically unpalatable. As many people have said, over half of Kiwis pay no income tax - and they are the bottom half. That means the entire electoral system is basically rorted: a reforming government will never ever be able to be formed under MMP. It was
designed to have just that effect and it has.
So - in order to make progress, first one must recognise that New Zealand is a serious and sustained failure as a country as the Brash report puts it. And then one must recognise that
Political leaders in successive governments have failed the people of New Zealand.
MMP and a three-year term are the direct cause nowadays of such failure.
There are various things we could do: ensure that only the productive voted, give the productivity commission a veto over party registrations, institute an anti-corruption commission, take fiscal policy away from the elected government and give it to the productivity commission or another similar body.
But the simplest approach is simply to amend the electoral act so that the next election is not until 2025, and (ideally simultaneously) purge the labour and green MPs. That will then ensure the political environment in which the Brash reforms - and the many more reforms that must follow along from them - can be enacted quickly
unless you're suggesting that generations of people who worked damn hard, raised families and contributed greatly to the wealth and infrastructure of NZ are the equivalent of third-generation bludgers and yoof who've never contributed anything.
If they or their families are looking after each other - of course not.
If they are relying on the taxpayer, then they are no different. Which part of "New Zealand cannot afford super" don't you understand?
"Which part of "New Zealand cannot afford super" don't you understand?"
And which part of "tell us what you do for living don't YOU understand?
You're quick with idiot draconian solutions, quick to label almost everybody "bludgers", let's see what you have, Mouth.
"If they are relying on the taxpayer, then they are no different."
For sheer willful blind stupidity, that comment takes the prize.
If you can't see in what way they're different I suggest you book yourself into a mental health unit.
Give up KG the man/woman is mad, quite mad.
Yup. ;-)
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