The political battle lines
The political year is now well and truly underway and the battle lines are clearly drawn. After two years of trying to pretend that they’re not the same party they were when Ruth Richardson slashed benefits and hocked off anything that wasn’t bolted down, the National Party’s mask has started to slip and the wolf beneath the sheep’s clothing has been revealed.
In his speech to the opening of Parliament this year, John Key announced that if National is re-elected at this year’s general election, they will publicly list the energy state owned enterprises. Key argues that listing the few remaining SOEs of any value will give “mum and dad” investors an opportunity to buy them, forgetting that mum and dad investors already own them. Read the rest of this entry »
Nats planning ACC privatisation for ages
The National Government is ploughing ahead with plans to privatise ACC despite warnings that the benefits and risks of doing so are unknown, Labour’s ACC spokesperson Chris Hipkins says. Read the rest of this entry »
Political dividing line couldn’t be starker
Parliament has resumed for the year and the contrast between Labour and National couldn’t be starker. During the last election campaign the National Party went up and down the country promising New Zealanders they could have everything they were getting under Labour and big fat tax cuts as a cherry on top. Recent revelations that National is intending to raise GST, send the miners into our national parks, and privatise ACC show just how hollow those promises were.
The major initiative coming out of John Key’s recent speech to Parliament was an increase in GST from 12.5% to 15%. That’s got many people worried. National claims that this rise in GST will be used to pay for tax cuts for those in the top tax bracket, namely those earning over $70,000. In the Rimutaka electorate only 7% of people fall into that category, meaning the vast majority of people will be worse off. Read the rest of this entry »
Speech on Electricity Industry Bill
There we have it! Max Bradford is back, and he looks a bit like Gerry Brownlee. Max Bradford would be very, very proud of the National Government today. It has picked up his failed tertiary education reforms, dusted them off, and passed them through the Committee stage of Parliament this afternoon. Now it has picked up his failed reforms to the electricity industry and it is to give them another whirl, as well. Read the rest of this entry »
Lower power bills not a priority for National
Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee’s plan to introduce more competition in the electricity sector does nothing to reduce power bills for New Zealanders struggling to make ends meet, Labour’s Associate Energy spokesperson Chris Hipkins said today. Read the rest of this entry »
National must cut Kiwi power bills
New Zealanders currently feeling the squeeze when paying the bills will not get any help from the Government’s electricity market review, Labour’s Energy spokespeople Charles Chauvel and Chris Hipkins said today. Read the rest of this entry »
Rimutaka prison escapes National’s privatisation plan
Rimutaka MP Chris Hipkins has welcomed a reassurance from Corrections Minister Judith Collins that the Rimutaka prison will not privatised, despite the government passing a new law under Urgency last week that gives it the power to do so. Read the rest of this entry »
Prison privatisation would put safety at risk
Allowing a private firm to run Rimutaka prison would lead to cost cutting and could seriously compromise public safety Rimutaka MP Chris Hipkins says.
