That was Then, this is Now #1

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That was Then, this is Now #1

20 August 2011 Frank Macskasy Leave a comment Go to comments

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Peter Petterson

20 August 2011 at 5:41 pm | #1

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Tell them all Frank, that Mike Cullen left the NZ economy in a strong state, something key takes credit for!!

Frank Macskasy

20 August 2011 at 9:26 pm | #2

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Indeed, Peter!

I take great joy in reminding National/ACT supporters (and other sundry right-wingers and neo-liberals) that Labour actually left New Zealand in an exceptionally good state;

* Labour posted several surpluses

* Labour paid down the massive debt that National had borrowed in the 1990s (http://www.treasury.govt.nz/government/financialstatements/yearend/jun10/09.htm)

* Unemployment was at 3.8% in early 2008 – contrasted to 6.6% currently

* Labour enacted tax-cuts for the middle class, through ‘Working for Families’

* Labour instituted Kiwisaver, to get New Zealanders to start saving, and to counter our over-reliance on overseas capital

* Labour re-nationationalised NZ Rail, which had been run down and close to collapse; and Air New Zealand, which had collapsed

* Labour set up Kiwibank, which finally forced the Big Banks to become more competitive with their interest rates and bank charges

There is much more that Labour could have achieved during their nine years in office, but I think their track record is pretty damned good.

Regarding the unemployment rate; neo-liberal might well say that our high unemployment is not National’s fault – but is the result of the 2008 banking crisis and resulting Recession.

That might well be true. But I would make two observations to neo-liberals trying to excuse the current levels of unemployment;

1/ Even if the high rate of unemployment is not National’s fault – what has National done to address this pressing problem? The cycle-way was pathetic. The Jobs Summit in early 2009 was a joke. National has done nothing since 2008 to implement job-creation policies.

2/ Neo-liberals keeping reminding us that high unemployment is the result of the recession? In which case why are they continually targetting unemployed welfare beneficiaries – as if being jobless was somehow their fault?

If it’s good enough for National to point to the Recession – why can’t the unemployed point to the same cause of their predicament?

It may take time, but I think New Zealanders will slowly be waking up to the simple fact that they are being conned.

Peter Petterson

20 August 2011 at 5:43 pm | #3

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The Taleban should start running now – the SAS will take revenge tenfold!

fmacskasy

20 August 2011 at 9:27 pm | #4

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Hmmm, I can imagine…

5 February 2012 at 3:39 pm | #1

That was Then, this is Now #2 « Frankly Speaking…

For a better New Zealand…

~ Cleaner rivers

~ No deep-sea oil drilling

~ Less on Roads - more on Rail

~ Minimum wage @ $15 p/hr

~ Marriage equality

~ Strong, effective Unions

~ No secret free-trade deals

~ Breakfast/lunches in our schools

~ Introducing Civics into our school curriculum

~ Cut back on the liquor industry

~ A fairer, progressive tax system

~ Fully funded, free healthcare

~ Ditto for education, including Tertiary

~ Fund Pharmac for Pompe's Disease medication & other 'orphan' drugs

~ No state asset sales!

~ Rebuild public TV broadcasting!

~ Keeping farms in local ownership

~ Reduce poverty, like we reduced the toll for road-fatalities

~ Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!

~ Being nice to each other

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
« Jul				Sep »
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31

Frankly Speaking…