NZ Government is Captured
Winston Peters’ recent “sausage” insults distract From Regulatory Capture in our government. Opinion/analysis by Mountain Tui
politicans
Steven Joyce
Bastards Versus Assholes
This post was written before Gaurav Sharma’s Herald article and should not be taken as validation of his comments. There are necessary bastards in political life, and in developed democracies compared to everywhere else ours are gentle as lambs
The inside story of National’s civil war
Andrea Vance’s book Blood Bath provides an insider’s view of the carnage that erupted in the National Party from 2017 to 2021. And while things have calmed down under Christopher Luxon’s his weaknesses, including his glossing over the importance of policy detail and his tendency to bag businesses has been noted.
The $11 billion man strikes again
Remember Steven Joyce who claimed there was a $11.7 billion dollar hole in Labour’s alternative budget? Another example of his negotiation prowess has recently received media attention and the only conclusion that can be drawn is that his ability to analyse crown accounts is matched by his ability to negotiate.
The real cause of New Zealand’s failing housing system
Simon Wilson has set out in a Herald article historical data which suggests that the cause of the housing crisis can be dated back to decisions made generations ago. But Steven Joyce thinks that the cure is actually the cause of the problem.
About the $7.5 billion surplus
The announcement of a $7.5 billion surplus for the last fiscal year combined with a $5.5 billion surplus the year before proves once and for all that Steven Joyce’s claim of a $11.5 billion deficit in Labour’s costings was bollocks.
Transmission Gully
NZTA have determined to not proceed with tolling the Transmission Gully motorway. Does this make it the country’s largest single transport waste?
Lies damn lies and tax analysis
National’s claim that a capital gains tax would reduce the value of an average worker’s Kiwisaver account by $64,000 over a 45 year working life seems to be as valid as Steven Joyce’s claim there was an $11.5 billion dollar hole in Labour’s draft budget.
The Eminem decision and National’s electoral return
The Court of Appeal has determined that National should pay Eminem $225,000 for use of his music. This may create rather large legal problems for them.
Grant Robertson is a financial genius
Remember the $11.5 billion hole that Stephen Joyce and National said Labour was going to leave the country with? Well the 2017/18 financial books have been completed and released and the Government’s surplus was $2.4 billion greater than forecast.
Winston sues
Winston Peters has commenced legal proceedings against Anne Tolley and Paula Bennett because of the leaking during last year’s election campaign of private information about a superannuation overpayment he received.
The hidden infrastructure fiscal crisis gets real
Steven Joyce’s $11.7 billion fiscal hole is becoming more and more of a reality although it is in hidden infrastructure costs that National had suppressed in search of the elusive surplus.
Joyce may have been right about the Fiscal hole
Steven Joyce’s prediction of a $11.7 billion deficit in the Government’s finances may be true. But this is because the last Government has underfunded health and hidden problems.
Tripling down on financial illiteracy with Amy Adams (and MMT)
Amy Adams won’t commit to $11.7b, but she too has now become the third person to fall down the imaginary fiscal hole. How can National claim to have any soundness on finance if they won’t admit their criticisms on the economy are unreasonable and unfounded? And besides, aren’t National actually worse fiscal managers if ordinary people tend to get paid less under their regimes? We dive into some theory to thoroughly dispute even Steven Joyce’s/Amy Adam’s secondary criticism of “fiscal tightness,” although concede that two of the Budget Responsibility rules are probably stupid in order to do it.
We need more ministers like Steven Joyce
Rare praise for Steven Joyce from someone on the left.
Who is next?
Steven Joyce’s resignation may be the first of many as National adjusts to the possibility of a lengthy stay in opposition.
Joyce resigns from Parliament
Steven Joyce has announced that he is resigning from Parliament.
Steven Joyce threatens to sue Matthew Hooton and the NBR
Matthew Hooton has been sacked as a contributor to the NBR and Steven Joyce has threatened to sue him and the NBR over claims that Joyce is not popular in caucus and should be sacked.
Who will the new leader of the National Party be?
Today we will find out if National is taking a step backwards. Or two steps backwards.
The battle of the five political midgets
Steven Joyce and Mark Mitchell have both thrown their hats into the ring for National’s leadership.
National claims credit for Waitangi Day
National is claiming some credit for the success of Waitangi day. But the things they claim credit for are because of decisions of others, not the National Government.
What will 2018 bring for National?
What are National’s prospects this year? Will Bill English survive as leader? Will there be resignations and a clean out of the front bench? Stay tuned …
Media response to Labour’s budget
Media response to the new Government’s mini budget has been overwhelmingly positive.
Joyce’s multi billion dollar budget hole
It appears that Steven Joyce was right about there being a multi billion dollar hole in the Government’s finances. But not in the way claimed.
Spare a thought for Steven Joyce
Steven Joyce had a bad day yesterday. His claim that National’s use of one of Eminem’s song was “pretty legal” was shown to be anything but. And he stuck to his claim that there was a $11 billion dollar hole in Labour’s budget, casting doubt either on his honesty or on his competence.
National loses itself
It seems that National’s use of Eminem’s song lose yourself was not so legal.
The Herald doesn’t want Winston to go with Labour
The Herald has offered a number of opinions this weekend saying that Labour forming a coalition with New Zealand First would be a very bad thing.
English, Joyce, Bennett et al desperate to keep their power?
This might look like smart politics for National to draw the Greens in with National but a more primary motivation might be that English/Joyce and co. are desperate to form a coalition with anyone, otherwise as individuals, they’ll certainly lose their power within the party in the inevitable shakeup.
Garner on National’s death rattle
Weekend pundits agree that the Joyce / English brazen lie about Labour’s budget is a disaster for the Nats. Duncan Garner pronounces National’s death rattle.
National enters panic mode and goes tough on beneficiaries
National has tried to divert attention from the budget hole fiasco by promising to get even tougher on beneficiaries.
Who agrees with you Bill?
Last night Bill English emphatically defended and agreed with Steven Joyce’s lie about a “hole” in Labour’s budget – specifically the disproved figure of $11.7 billion. Jacinda Ardern took him apart with one simple question. English has nothing left now.
Finance debate – Grant Robertson vs big flaming gasbag
The RNZ debate between Labour and Nat finance spokespersons has just concluded – Grant Robertson vs a big flaming gasbag. Robertson very strong, gasbag unable to name One Single Person who agrees with his $11.7bn big lie.
Liar Joyce’s shifting goal posts and zero budgets
Hopelessly compromised Steven Joyce is trying to shift the goalposts from his thoroughly exposed $11.7bn lie to Labour’s “zero budgets”. He’s clutching at straws…
Joyce keeps digging
Steven Joyce is spinning furiously and is now claiming that Labour has set aside no money for budget increases for many Government Departments. But when Labour’s figures are compared to PREFU it is clear that Labour is planning to maintain or exceed National’s propose future spend.
Joyce and English now laughing stock
Post John Key all National ever had going for it was an undeserved reputation for financial competence. Now that is gone too. It doesn’t get any worse than this 3 weeks out from an election.
Even Kiwiblog won’t defend Joyce’s $11.7 billion claim
David Farrar has put up and then amended a post suggesting that there is a $11.7 billion hole in Labour’s policy financials. It appears that even he does not believe there is a $11.7 billion discrepancy in Labour’s accounts.