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The National Government is not playing by its own rules in not agreeing to sacrifice some of its own non-essential spending this Easter/Anzac Weekend.
Finance Minister Bill English recently admonished New Zealanders about the need to draw a distinction between spending that's essential to have and spending that's nice to have. Of course, given the Nat's continuing poll popularity, they are beginning to sound very arrogant now, especially given Labour's ineffectiveness in opposition. That's why National can continue to channel spending into 'nice to have' programmes while telling all other ordinary Kiwis to practically go and eat cake.
Yesterday, I heard the announcement that the Government will fund New Zealand's America's Cup bid to the tune of $36 million. Acting Tourism Minister David Carter fronted this controversial announcement (conveniently made while John Key is abroad) and defended it by saying that if Team New Zealand entered the Cup, the Government (i.e. taxpayers) were contractually bound to cough up. What a croc excuse that is! Carter and shamefully Labour's Trevor Mallard defended this decision on the basis that our participation will bring flow on economic and tourism benefits to New Zealand. Good on the Green Party though for coming out and sticking it to both Labour and National on this issue! Metieria Turei pointed out that this America's Cup spending was one more example of what English cited as 'nice to have' spending.
While I support state intervention in the economy, I believe that we should be aiding industries and programmes whose success will bring longer term benefits to Aotearoa such as the Christchurch re-build, a West Coast recovery package, sustainable energy projects, eco-tourism, forestry, fisheries, small scale ecologically based farming and hi-tech industries. I also believe we need a significant state house building programme to house the increasing numbers of poor people and Canterbury earthquake survivors over aiding a mass boat building bonanza for the rich.
Aside from the America's Cup spending, for those of you who don't (or can't) keep pace with the Nat's 'nice to have' spending, here's a running tally:
So the next time that John Key or Bill English says we don't have any money for a decent Canterbury and West Coast recovery package, to pay family carers of disabled people, to increase benefits and pensions, provide more hip operations, provide free education for all children and tertiary students, reinstate early childhood and adult education cuts and provide decent frontline public services, just remember that the Nats are still spending up pretty large on non-essentials on the taxpayer credit card.
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Comments
very well said! astounding
very well said!
astounding double standards are a hallmark of the Key administration
in this respect they are regretfully proving little different than clark/cullen
but thankfully in other respects they are well ahead
To all you left loony's, if
To all you left loony's, if you read the story properly if you can read that is, the Govt was contractually obliged to give them this money through a deal done by the last Loony Socialist Government. Too many mouth off before reading the facts. Now we have the Duck (Mallard) laughing about it and saying he made it so air tight the next Govt couldn't get out of it. Shows what a bunch of Morons are in the Loony Left
Wolfman - totally agree with
Wolfman - totally agree with you. The loony left did not complain when Helen Clark, Michael Cullen and Trevor Mallard signed the initial contract. So loony left - your whingeing reeks of double standards.
Contractually obliged? So if
Contractually obliged? So if we break the contract, they take us to court? So what? Who's going to collect the cash if we say p#ss off?
What is the worst outcome? We are banned from participating in any more elitist yacht races at the taxpayer's expense, and the money can be spent on hip operations, classrooms, etc...hard to see a downside.
Don't tell me the yachting industry will suffer either.From Russell Coutts to Chris Dickson to Brad Butterworth, the whole industry has demonstrated that they have zero loyalty to a country, and are only driven by cash.NZ builds good yachts, and will continue to do so.If we have to build them for someone else, but we get to keep the 36m and all the other aid we've given the America's Cup campaign then it suits me.Anyone who still believes that Team NZ is even remotely connected to anything other than the dollar needs to read the label on their red socks- it won't say made in NZ.The only loonies are the people who are naive enough to still believe we have any obligation at all to fund these parasites.
And that folks (comment from
And that folks (comment from Dave) is why I call them the Loony Left, no respect for the law.
Respect for the law? Now I
Respect for the law? Now I know you're taking the proverbial. By that logic every America's Cup holder over the last 3 decades must be a card carrying member of the Comintern, gathering for a quick chorus of the Internationale every morning before work.How my heart sings to be in such august company. Did you miss the interminable ligigation and attempts to rort the rules in every campaign? No sooner is the contest on the water over than the contest in the courtroom begins.
As usual, the right's definition of the law comes down to who can afford the best lawyers.If that's your definition of the law you can keep it, it sure ain't mine.
What a nurd, I'm talking NZ
What a nurd, I'm talking NZ Law, not that crap that comes from squabbling Millionaires. Geez not wonder this country is in such a state with people like you stealing oxygen.
Well at least you are honest
Well at least you are honest enough to admit you feel there is one law for the rich and one for the rest of us.As for your other comments, I'm happy to discuss the issue with you, but won't be directing personal abuse at you.
Pointless and doesn't progress the discussion at all.
wolfman, sam, try to write
wolfman, sam, try to write without using a cliche' in every sentence.
There is no specific and measurable benefit to our economy from this spending. Just some self interest group saying it will produce jobs and income for the country, this statement itself is fast becoming a cliche from NZ business folks.Well, lets see the true past figures and then make a decision. Sport welfare seems to be a growing sector.
agree,taxpayer contribution
agree,taxpayer contribution to the america's cup is quite unnecessary
liberte
It looks like the looney
It looks like the looney right red necks are breeding well, too well in fact. The Corporate Socialist National Party are doing just fine. Key has his hand on it and Jerry's got funding for the pie's. If they spent the same amount of energy on the country's economy and try to find a way out of this hole they're getting us into would be nice. However I think they're being blinded by the power and baubles of office and are living like statesmen dishing out financial lifelines to there corporate mates who in there own underpants think of themselves as "Titan's" ? Yeah right, colossal fuck up's! Who expect the diminishing number of tax-payers to bail them out when they've cooked the books and payed themselves healthy salaries. Rewarding themselves for failures the we have to fund! WTF!! Time for these idiots to go!!
It is not only the National
It is not only the National party that does not understand your gripe. The Labour party is even more divorced from reality. The further left you go on the political spectrum, the worse this divorce from reality gets.
The only solution is a party to the right of National, but not to the extreme of ACT. If only Winston could see that and position himself and NZFirst in that area.
Rants and raves from the
Rants and raves from the Loony Left abound as usual, becuase they don't like John Key.
Remember folks it was that "bovver boy" of the left, Trevor Mallard, who signed this contract.
Just because Team NZ had a better lawyer that Trevor Mallard is not their fault.
Mallard, Clark and co were so very eager to be seen with the yachties, that they signed away the money quire readily.
Notice that Trevor Mallard very silent on the matter now.
Direct your ire at him, not those of us who are stating the facts.
CW Swensson - Where are the cliche's in what I have written.
I am just sheeting the "blame" home to Trevor Mallard where it rightfully belongs and would suggest you do the same. Did you protest when Mallard signed that contract? If no, then it is a litle late to whinge now.
Sam, no one is ranting or
Sam, no one is ranting or raving, merely expressing different opinions.You do your argument no service by resorting to insults.
I'll admit I'm no fan of Key, but I'm also no fan of Mallard,Clark or Cullen either.(Mallard was on the 6 o'clock news defending the decision- so hardly silent).No one cheered louder than I when Clark lost.
I did protest when the deal was signed.I also protested when we funded Coutts, and the Sainted Peter Blake.In my view the sport and those who follow it can well afford to fund their pastime themselves, without hitting up the long suffering NZ taxpayer. When thousands of kiwis are struggling to even put food on the table, it's simply immoral to allocate funds to the America's cup, a sport patronised primarily by a very wealthy elite. This is the issue, not how people feel about John Key, or who has the best lawyer.
While it's convenient for the govt to hide behind a contractual obligation, if the will existed they could break the contract.
BTW If you're looking for an example of a cliche, I'd suggest " the loony left" qualifies.
`Loony left -raving right'
`Loony left -raving right' sheeesh, have you people been asleep for the past 15 years. In case you have missed something, they are really one and the same, so are now overused meaningless cliches`.
Americas cup [ and RWC ] are business disguised as sport.If the business model is planned and efficient they will succeed without taxpayer subsides.They are not, so they need the subsidy.
Below is a selection of the usual unsubstantiated drivel that comes from the `looney left - raving right'
"the potential to generate significant economic benefits" for the country...ah, potential only, this is a cop-out statement
"eyes of the world" are on us....really? whose?, how many? Lawn bowls is probably a bigger world sport. [ I sail BTW]
"The Government's contribution allows us to be competitive on the world stage." oh really , well Katrina Krum was competitive on the world stage in a far, far more televised sport. without `government investment'
Government expected "maximum benefit" from the "significant investment" of taxpayer money in the event.... figures and facts please! That word `investment'really worries me with this countries reputation.
PS Sam ,Anglo Saxons whinge. I`m not, and i nor am I `left' or `right'whatever these terms mean.
CW Swennson - Did you
CW Swennson - Did you complain about Clark, Mallard and co signing teh initial contract?
Dave - glad you complained about the signing of the initial contract by Clark, Mallard and co.
"Loony left" is a term created to counteract the numerous derogatory remarks (right wing scumbags etc) that the left wing throws up at their opponents instead of putting up solid reasone darguments.
It is usuallty the left that starts to make personal attacks, then it complains when responses get personal as well. Just read "The Standard".
Sam- both sides do it, and
Sam- both sides do it, and it serves no valid purpose.
There is plenty of bad, lazy journalism on both sides of the political spectrum, but the claim that name-calling is usually started by the left is a bit of generalisation surely? The rigth has it's share of harpies too.(Tea-Party, Palin, McCarthyism, Muldoon , Pauline Hansen).I would suggest there are bigotted nutjobs in both camps, but we shouldn't let them shift the focus from the issue to personalities.
Ordinary kiwis are getting shafted for the benefit of a privileged few.We can sit on our hands and do nothing or we can do something about it.If we chose to do nothing, you can bet it will continue to keep happening, to the detriment of all of those not on the boat (both literally and figuratively).
Have to agree with CW's points on sports welfare, seems like lots of hype, and very little measurable, demonstrable return. All wrapped up in some very carefully chosen language that promises lots, but has no concrete commitment to deliver anything except a hell of party for those involved.