2011 Election result a big mandate for welfare reform

The overwhelming win for John Key in the 2011 Election and the decimation of the vote for the Labour Party is a clear mandate for the party to follow through with their pre-election policies.

Asset sales, education and government department reform, just to name a few, should be just the start.

Perhaps the biggest mandate was for welfare reform as minister for welfare Paula Bennett was returned with a higher margin than in 2008.

In that seat she had competition from Carmel Sepeloni and the Labour Party's old ideas about extending welfare while National's policy of reforming welfare was given the big tick with Bennett's return.

This is an important overall as our welfare system is clearly unsustainable, especially at this time of economic uncertainty and need for fiscal restraint.

The National election win means the country can begin this reform and begin to turn around the problems that welfare has caused; crime, unemployment, child abuse and death and generations of people who have become dependent on the State (State = taxpayer of course).

The new Government has been given a mandate for reform of the Welfare State and if done correctly could be a turning point in a country saturated by dependence. A turning point that will turn dependence and hopelessness into independence and dare I say it a brighter future.

As the Labour Government of the 1930s introduced the welfare state and set this country on a downward slide to the present day, National has a chance to reverse the notion that your neighbour owes you a living and can pick your pockets at will, to an ingrained obligation that we are all responsible for ourselves and welfare should be in the hands of individuals and families and not the heavy hand of a failed state apparatus.

National have the mandate but do they have the will to put a line in the sand and turn this country into a truly great nation where its citizens look to themselves for inspiration instead of the State (again see your fellow taxpayer) and the next welfare check?

I will watch with much interest.

Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @Fishpond.co.nz

C c c Darren Rickard 2011

Trevor Mallard Puts the boot into his Leader

TrevorMallard Trevor Mallard

@

@shareinvestor t.co/R2hDQLzS

2 hours ago

Trevor Mallard's Cryptic reply in answer to this comment from me below:

shareinvestor Darren Rickard

The worm Loved Phil Goff on the channel 3 leaders debate last night so why don't voters feel the same way?

2 hours ago

You would think he would be spending his time on more constructive things other than twitter nonsense from his sackcloth covered desktop.

His link contained in his tweet is Trev's google search of "to know him is to love him".

Is Trevor being sarcastic about support for his leader Phil Goff? I think so. It is not like him to be upfront and genuine about politics and this is his modus operandi politically speaking.

Just come out and say it Trevor, you don't support your man!!

Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @ Fishpond.co.nz

c Darren Rickard 2011

2011 Election: A Choice between success and failure

In the last 5 days before the election voters must pause to look at the choices they have.

A vote for Labour and its fellow left travelers NZ First, the Green Party, and Hone Harawira will be a return to the nastiness, divisiveness and heavy hand of the nanny state that got the country into the mess this country is still trying to recover from.

Now that we are in tough global economic times Labour's economic prescription (if its leader and finance minister can remember what it is) of high taxes, increased borrowing and bigger government means within a possible 3 year term under their leadership we will see us needing a rescue from the IMF.

You simply cannot borrow and tax your way into prosperity, it is a recipe for economic disaster and voters should remember that is why we are in the position we are now after 9 years of economic mismanagement by Labour between 1999 and 2008.

The nats could do better to live within a budget with more cuts to Govt spending but that would cause social unrest and that is the last thing we need right now. We need good economic management in these tough times and they have proven themselves over the last 3 years of economic conditions not seen since the Great Depression.

You have a choice this Saturday. Vote Labour and face a forced sale of state assets (under National it will be done on our terms) and economic direction from the IMF or vote the nats and get moderate experienced economic management that has been proven to work over the last 3 years.

You decide.

Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @ Fishpond.co.nz

C c c Darren Rickard 2011

Labour Limbos to a new low

Supposedly this election for Labour was going to be about policy but so far it has just been a constant stream of personal attacks - doesn't work hard enough, is a liar, doesn't care about kids, yadda, yadda, yadda - on John Key with this one today as reported in Stuff.co.nz

"People at the top have got a lot of money and they take their holidays in Hawaii," Goff said.

"People at the bottom can't even afford to put good food on the table for their kids."

Key, a multi-millionaire, regularly holidays with his family at a home he owns in Hawaii.

Who the fuck cares, the public are sick of lets kick the rich guy because he has done well and most of us admire him for his hard work and success.

If Labour should have learned anything from the 2008 election then it would be that personal attacks on Johnny didn't work for them, in fact they backfired because the public really doesn't like the politics of envy

It has Trevor Mallard DNA all over it and mirrors the Labour Party attack on the middle income earner who they are going to tax more for "earning too much" to give to those either too lazy or those that cant legitimately work.

It is kinda nice watching the self-destruction of the left into a pool of their own hatred and jealously.

Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @ Fishpond.co.nz

C c c Darren Rickard 2011

Labour to spend billions more on welfare

One would have thought Labour might have learned from their last 9 years in power that promising people free money through welfare schemes like Working for Families, paid maternity leave and taxpayer funded childcare is unaffordable at the best of times but during the worst economic times since the Great Depression extending all these vote buying schemes is morally, socially and fiscally wrong.

There may have been a ray of light in these policies if they had actually worked for the populace but Working for Families has incentivised staying on the same income and thereby lowering productivity, paid maternity leave and taxpayer funded childcare has drained taxpayer coffers so that those that don't qualify for this welfare are struggling to pay for these things themselves.

These things are not only unaffordable but they don't actually work in the long-term.

If welfare was such a success when introduced into New Zealand in the 1930s under Labour it would have seen itself bow out of existence because it would have cured all the ills politicians said it would.

Instead what we know has happened is that it has fostered crime, relative "poverty", child abuse and murder and made hundreds of thousands of us dependent on their fellow taxpayer.

There are more of us on welfare in New Zealand than at any other time in our history and clearly things are not well in the garden of eden.

You would think then, that politicians, especially those on the left, would learn that doing more of the same that has got us here is the pure definition of insanity.

State welfare doesn't work and we need to recognise that.

For Labour to ignore these facts, especially at a time when our economy could be on the brink of collapse over the next 5 years, just to buy votes for an election win is just suicide for the country as whole.

The money for all this extra spending will come from borrowing from China and increased and new taxes across the board for all workers. There is no other way this can happen.

Billions more in extra spending on non-productive policies and possible difficulties in borrowing more money means this would put the whole country in danger of defaulting sometime in the future.

Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @ Fishpond.co.nz

C c c Darren Rickard 2011

Show me the Money: Money for Nothing & Everything free

Emmerson's take on Goff's cunning plan to win the 2011 Election.

On the money indeed.

Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @ Fishpond.co.nz

C c c Darren Rickard 2011

Show me the Money: Labour hides borrowing & additional taxes

The political intrigue over Phil Goff's failure to accurately cost his election promises came to a head a few days ago at a Wednesday debate when John Key asked Goff to "show him the money".

Even the rabid left's John Armstrong is having a go at him over this serious leadership failure.

Goff had been found seriously wanting as his increased spending to buy an election win showed the flaws on the Labour election balance sheet. The increased debt exposure Goff that the Labour Party would put the country in at a time when debt used in the wrong way is looked at very suspiciously by our lenders and whoever leads us needs to tread the debt boards very carefully should we end up like Greece or the USA.

The billions of extra spending Goff has been campaigning on will come via borrowing from Mums and Dads in China and as there is still an unexplained gap after what Labour say they will borrow, Labour will do what they have always done and introduce a slew of news taxes on the middle classes and those "rich pricks" that Labour hammered in their previous 9 years in Government.

The only problem is there is still a massive gap in funding after the borrowing and funds raised from increased taxes and the only two conclusions the public can come to are that they will have to borrow more than indicated or what is more probable hit Kiwis with undisclosed new taxes or increases in current tax rates.

Phil Goff says he will show us the money today but his credibility must be looked at more than a little askance because one would have to ask why haven't these costings and important figures been calculated before promises were made? He says they have been but it has taken 2 days so far to produce his costings but so far not a sausage.

The public awaits to see with interest what this economic magician can pull out of his hat but judging on this latest incident should voters be putting their trust in someone with their hard earned taxpayer dollars whose maths would have 1+1 equal 3?

Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @ Fishpond.co.nz

C c c Darren Rickard 2011

National's Welfare "Reform" : Is that it?

The much talked about "welfare reform" from the National Party has turned into a bit of an underwhelming damp squib for me:

"All of those currently on the unemployment and sickness benefits will be put on a new 'Jobseeker Support Benefit,' and required to look for full time work. Single parents with children aged over 14 would go on the same benefit.

Parents on the domestic purposes benefit would instead get 'Sole Parent Support' until their youngest turned 14.

Solo parents would be required to undergo work testing when their child turned one and would be expected to work at least part time when their youngest was five.

The term 'invalids benefit' would also be scrapped and those with permanent, severe disabilities and terminal illnesses would instead receive a "supported living payment."

They would not face work obligations". NZ Herald

Why wouldn't you make solo parents look for work after 12 weeks? People with jobs regularly go back to work to provide for the family and it seems a tad bizarre that solo parents would have the luxury of 5 years looking after little Johnny or Susie at home while the rest of us wage slaves only see our kids in the morning and evenings.

It seems like a good start but incentives really need to be focused on making it harder for Mums to pop out kids on the DPB and easier if one chooses to be honest with others and themselves and work for a living to support themselves and their family.

I wait in hope.

Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @ Fishpond.co.nz

C c c Darren Rickard 2011

TV One Leaders debate, 31 October 2011

The first leaders debate this evening between John Key & Phil Goff was an easy win to Key.

Phil started reasonably strongly but could only last about 5 minutes before he resorted to name calling, interrupting Key and the moderator.

This formula Goff stuck to for the full 90 minutes and it didn't work for him.

His media minder Brian Edwards clearly told him to be aggressive and engage with Key instead of the moderator and Goff managed to make Key look a bit awkward a few times as Key nodded his head politely to what he had to say.

After a while Key decided he wasn't going to turn to Goff in this manner and looked the better for it as Goff was found getting angry, butting in or smirking when Key was talking.

Key was confident where Goff was as convincing as Marty McFly's father in Back to the Future at times.

The Mr Angry routine just didn't do any favours for Goffy and he was left shouting in the wake of Key explaining policy while Goff wanted to talk over him.

The TV text poll rated the debate a 61/39 vote in Key's favour but I would put it at more like 70/30.

Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @ Fishpond.co.nz

C c c Darren Rickard 2011

Loopy

This just posted on the Labour party Facebook site.

Says it all about their proposed rail loop really.

Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @ Fishpond.co.nz

C c c Darren Rickard 2011

Twits of the week

Labour have a blog called "Red Alert" and have what I think is a weekly diatribe called Tweet of the Week.

They seem to be focused on their opposition and trivial stuff instead of the things potential Labour voters want to hear:

Just like Labour this tweet/twit doesn't make sense, so is lost on most kiwis bar Labour Party insiders and left-wing bloggers.

Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @ Fishpond.co.nz

C c c Darren Rickard 2011

Green Party Election Campaign Opening

Radio Transcript

Contact: Metiria Turei & Russel Norman

Tag: Election 2011

VO METIRIA: This is a party political broadcast from the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand

VOX POPS:

>> I think a richer NZ would be one where the economy, and people and the environment are considered one system

>> There'd be more opportunities for everyone.

>> There'd be a better public transport system.

>> There'd be a decent minimum wage.

>> There'd be a smaller gap between the haves and have nots.

>> There'd be housing you could afford

>> I reckon in a richer NZ there would be more jobs

>> We'd have MMP.

>> Well, healthy food would be cheaper.

>> I think in a Richer NZ we'd measure success in more ways than just monetary gain.

RUSSEL:

Kia Ora I'm Russel Norman,

METIRIA:

Tena koutou I'm Metiria Turei,

Together we're the co-leaders of the Green party

METIRIA:

18 years ago I was a young mum on the DPB with no education, no prospects, but with this beautiful baby who needed me. And I needed help. I used the welfare system to take care of us both to go to university to get my law degree. I understand first hand how important a supportive government is. For me, a richer Aotearoa is one where every parent is valued and where every child has a roof over their head and food on the table.

RUSSEL:

I grew up in Australia, I came to NZ 15 years ago for work and for study and I loved it here and I have been here ever since.

I've worked in factories, on farms and in offices. I've got a doctorate of political science, I'm a member of parliament, and a dad.

I believe a richer New Zealand is one that works for our people and we look after the environment.

RUSSEL:

This election the Green Party has three priorities for the next three years, to help us build a Richer New Zealand.

We're going to clean up rivers, get kids out of poverty and grow green jobs.

RUSSEL:

We have a plan to stimulate 100,000 new green jobs through government leadership and business incentives.

METIRIA:

It will add resilience to our economy, without taking our country further into debt. And you can read all about the details on our website.

RUSSEL:

One action is extending the home insulation scheme we created to a further 200,000 homes.

METIRIA:

We will encourage businesses to join the green economy through research subsidies, and tax incentives. We need government support for sustainable services and products which can be sold around the world.

RUSSEL:

A good example of this is a kiwi company called Aquaflow. They've developed a way to turn sewage into bio fuel, fertilizer, and clean water.

METIRIA:

But we've got to keep it kiwi, with government support in partnership with investors we can keep our best and brightest anchored in New Zealand.

RUSSEL:

We get the ongoing benefits of jobs and research, and we don't lose all the profits overseas.

METIRIA:
And while we're on the topic, selling off our state assets, even "part sale" won't make New Zealand richer. The Green Party will keep our country's assets in public ownership and we will put them to work as catalysts for our common economic good.

RUSSEL

Global investment in clean energy will double to US$800 billion by 2015. With the right incentives, we can get at least 1% of that global market. Just 1% would generate billions of dollars in exports from Z and employ tens of thousands of people in green jobs, right here.

METIRIA

If you want New Zealand to get a piece of the clean energy action, you need to Party Vote Green.

VOX POPS:

>> In a richer NZ all our lakes would be clean.

>> I just want my kids to be able to swim in our estuary.

METIRIA:

GO! (kids jump in) haha, when I was a kid I used to swim in the mighty Manawatu… but now, it's one of the most polluted rivers in the world.

RUSSEL:

The good news is that we can clean it up.

The Green Party has a plan to make all our rivers and lakes clean enough to swim in again, just like this one. (kids splash) After all, It's every Kiwi kid's birthright.

METIRIA:

Having healthy waterways is good for our clean green brand which underpins our tourism and agricultural exports.

RUSSEL:

The Green Party will set standards to control the amount of water taken from our rivers and cut pollution going into them.

METIRIA:

We'll introduce fair charges for irrigation and use the funds to clean up our rivers, and create green jobs.

RUSSEL:

We need to support our farmers and industry to find solutions that work for everyone.

METIRIA:

A Green Party Vote at this election is a start to making our rivers clean enough to swim in again.

(splash)

VOX POPS:

>> Well I think in a Richer NZ there should be more care for parents and their young children.

>> Our kids are really important

METIRIA:

We're here at Edmund Hillary School in South Auckland to celebrate a positive story…

VO METIRIA:

As a decile 1 school they've had their fair share of challenges, but by developing their own Mahinga Kai gardening & learning programme they've changed attitudes and brought their community together to support each other.

RUSSEL:

It's a great start in the battle against some of the problems caused by real hardship.

Child poverty is a reality in our country, and the Greens plan to do something about it.

METIRIA:

We have developed four solutions to bring 100,000 children out of poverty by 2014.

VO METIRIA:

We will give parents on a benefit access to the training incentive allowance, helping them to study and take care of their kids.

VO RUSSEL:

We will extend Working for Families to 140,000 of the poorest households with children.

METIRIA:

We will raise the minimum wage to $15 immediately to help working parents provide for their children.

RUSSEL:

And we'll create insulation standards for rental properties to ensure warm, healthy homes for thousands of kids.

METIRIA:

Child poverty costs this country around $6b billion every year. If we invest just a fraction of that in our kids now, we will save money and save lives. Ensuring a better future for all of us.

RUSSEL:

We just need your party vote to make it happen.

VOX POPS:

>> A richer New Zealand would have more Green MPs.

>> I think we more Green MPs in Parliament.

RUSSEL:

The Greens are a growing, popular party, with fresh new way of looking at world we live in.

METIRIA:

New Zealand was the home of the world's first Green Party and we've been represented in Parliament now for well over a decade. We're a successful, independent party and we've delivered positive change regardless of who's been in government.

RUSSEL:

In just the last three years, working alongside Government we've made 100,000 homes warm and dry. We've got the funding for cycling, the cleanup of toxic sites, for pest control and more.

METIRIA:

Your vote can deliver more positive change in the next three years.

To find out more about what we believe in, and why you should support us this election, please visit our website

RUSSEL:

We have a full range of policies on economics, health, education, justice, and so much more

METIRIA:

If you share our vision for a richer New Zealand

One with clean rivers, where everyone has a job, and where every child has enough to eat …

RUSSEL

If you want a smart, green economy that works for everyone….

in this election…

RUSSEL & METIRIA: Party Vote Green!

Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @ Fishpond.co.nz

C c c Darren Rickard 2011

The loop to Knowheresville

Political running mates the Labour Party and Len Brown and his left wing branch of the Auckland council have colluded to fleece Aucklanders and the country at large of billions of dollars to expand 300 year old technology because they think it might work as a means of transport in the 21st century:

"If Labour was elected to government it would pay $1.2 billion or half of the cost of the proposed inner Auckland rail loop, Labour leader Phil Goff told around 100 supporters at an open air party meeting today.

The loop is projected to cost $2.4 billion.

Auckland City would have to pay half, and a Goff lead government would pay the other half by cancelling a "holiday highway" north of Auckland.

Goff said to become the world class city Auckland wants to become, it needs a world class transport system.

The current western and southern motorways were "bloody nightmares" he said.

Labour wanted to support Auckland Mayor Len Brown's plan for an inner city underground rail loop which would double the amount of trains the Britomart transport system could handle.

He attacked Transport Minister Steven Joyce, saying he was "mesmerised" by motorways and was planning to build a $1.7 billion motorway from Puhoi to Wellsford, which would link popluar beach destinations". Stuff.co.nz

The only problem with this proposal is that the 2.4 billion price tag is conservative, barely 2% of Aucklanders use trains and over the life of any proposed system the loop and its extension will lose billions more dollars that Aucklanders and Kiwis simply don't have.

Another major drawback is that motorists will be subsidizing rail through increased petrol taxes, road tolls and congestion charges.

Put simply it may have been a good idea 2 -300 years ago but technology as it is now means a rail loop and expanded rail network is expensive, uneconomic, polluting, inefficient and will not solve any current or future perceived transport problems.

Add to this that Labour want to ditch the long needed Northern motorway extension to help fund the government's share under their proposal and you clearly have a lose lose, situation.

The extension north will save lives, be a boon for trade between Northland and Auckland and the rest of the North Island and provide a much needed stimulus to a long-lagging Northland economy.

Labour want to ditch that in favour of a wet dream of train-tracks crisscrossing Auckland that will be a white elephant that ratepayers and taxpayers will be paying for dearly as long as it exists.

We need fiscal restraint at this time, not pork barrel politics and favours for mates.

NEW - From Fishpond.co.nz | Think Bigger, By Michael Hill

Join the Share Investor Facebook Group

Darren Rickard 2011