I’m angry. And reading Chris Hipkin’s post below has just made it worse. Not at Chris of course, but at the cost of economic insecurity to humanity which Walter Nash talked about.
I spent this afternoon doorknocking in South Dunedin, one of the poorest and most densely populated parts of our country. People are insecure and afraid. They either have jobs that don’t pay much and they haven’t had a pay rise for a long time, or they are unemployed and can’t find jobs. They can’t make ends meet. They don’t turn their heaters on.
One family said “we can’t afford to eat meat. We used to be able to”. A lot of families said we don’t know what to do when the GST goes up. Tax cuts mean nothing.
Everything is more expensive. And they feel they are being made to pay. One woman, a sole parent with three teenagers told me she wants to work but can’t find work. “There is no work”. And she said she was being made to feel guilty for being on a benefit when there was no work anyway.
She is afraid for her kids getting jobs and being exploited through the 90 day law that means an employer can sack someone (often young people) in the first 90 days of a job. She joined the Labour Party today. Had never even thought about it til I turned up on her doorstep.
As Chris writes below (thanks Chris) Walter Nash said: “Men and women are not free to develop their own souls, to express their own individual personalities, to contribute according to their individual capacities to the world’s cultural inheritance – they are not free to do any of these things so long as the fact and fear of economic insecurity confronts them. Only when this fear is removed do they become in the fullest sense of the term a free people.
This country is becoming more and more economically insecure. What’s this government doing? Nothing but making their lives harder and making them more afraid. I’m angry.
Update: I’m so angry, I missed out the bits about the number of elderly people I personally encountered today (and they are constantly contacting my office) who are confronting losing their hour and a half per week of home help. Doing a bit of housework, preparing some meals, helping with some of the chores aorund the house they can no longer do. God help us that these elderly citizens who have contributed to our country, have paid taxes, went through the Great Depression, brought us all up and now they get treated like this at the end of their lives. Do the math! Helping people stay in their homes and lead a live with value is actually more cost effective than taking away their independence and requiring them to be put into a home. Not taking into account the human rights and human dignity aspect. I think you can tell I’m angry.
I don’t blame you!
!
Clare: did you ask any of those people who are struggling whether they like paying for wealthy people to have free childcare? Did you ask them whether they’re happy giving all student access to “free” money, irrespective of whether those same students will one day go on to be wealthy doctors or lawyers. Did you ask them whether they like losing out to well-off/middle class families who get nicely-subsidised parental leave even though those same people might be rolling in money?
So many of YOUR party’s policies have raised the cost of EVERYTHING in this country. There is simply less money around to help out those in need because your party has made an entire generation used to middle-class welfare.
Your party has added cost to every small business, and these costs get passed on to consumers.
By all means get angry. Start thinking about the causes of this mess rather than simplistic “them bad, us good” nonsense.
Please when Labour talk about GST increases also remember that the taxpayers are getting taxcuts so at worst the household should be on a par. But of course you conveniently forget that during the Labour years inflation het 5.2% and all we got was Cullen overtaxing the middle classses and refusing tax cuts instead preferred interest free loadn which have now blown out to $11b and of course WFF – in order to by support withthe taxes of the middle classes.
Under Labour the rich certainly got richer (nothing wrong with that – but a little rich for your loat to maon about that now)
And where on earth are Labour’s ideas to deal with these problems – all we get from your lot are popularist ideas with no economic substance or rationale and under scrutiny Labour’s ideas are shown to be unfeasible and unworkable.
Monty, the hardship Clare describes is happening now, preGST increases.
And will the income tax reductions you speak about also offset the opportunistic raising of prices at the same time?
For instance, is the item or service which is currently priced at $9.49 incl GST going to go up to $9.70 when the GST increase comes through…or is the retailer more likely to put it to $9.99?
Oh its a fairly simple straightforward plan Monty: VTBs out.
There are pills available for you anger Clare.
New zealand will never be a wealthy country when politicians like yourself automatically oppose any ideas that arent from your team.
You Clare and all other politicians are the problem , not the answer.
You spend all your days searching for problems to parade to the world , but the solutions are something you worry about when you get elected.
when you get elected , the solutions are an impediment to getting reelected .
This country needs brave politicians who dont think of themselves, but of the people
These people are unelectable
They are the OPPOSITION and they wouldn’t come up with munterish NACT stuff – so why not complain about what you genuinely oppose?
This is the issue – all but a very few Kiwis have over many years found that they are poorer, less likely to find work, more frightened, less in control of their lives, and less heard.
If we were a more vocal and aggressive country there would most probably be a revolution of some sorts.
When we as one of the best producers of food can’t afford to eat anything but sausages and low quality mince, when power costs are so high that old people are freezing, when milk (yes milk) has become a luxury for many families – we should be ashamed.
The real problem is that the people with the money are the people with power – they don’t see kids without food, parents not picking up prescriptions so that they can et their children’s, or the state of housing that many are living in in what used to be Gods Own Country.
I’m angry too when McCully thinks it is ok to buy $178 wine, no matter who pays for it, when that is what some people live on for a week or more.
There is just too much of I’m all right Jack in NZ now – those who set polices to end community have won – pity all of us for that.
Monty
I though that sort of stuff came from the right wing propaganda machine.
Cullen warned of the mistake in lowering the tax take and now we see services being reduced. education and health being shaped up for systematic bashing and the most vulnerable in society further alienated.
The gift to NACTs sponsoring sector at the cost to everyone with the GST take cannot be denied.
The rationale for cutting taxes for the rich does not hold water.
You are right that business did well under Labour and had boom years.
Crushing the lower paid sector should be of concern to everyone.
Humanity as opposed to selfish greed is a value that binds us with some responsibility.
Greed when you have your share but want much more.
Thanks Mark, you just explained why John Key is so high in the polls.
I thought Chris’ tapping into Walter Nash was a superb idea. Maybe Walter Nash’s biography should be compulsory reading for all Labour MPs? This is our heritage. This is where we came from.
It is time for Labour to start coming forward, to assertively state “This is what Labour stands for”.
As a long standing Labour supporter, I have to say that I don’t really know what Labour stands for. We all know what the Greens, NZ First, and NACT stand for, but as for Labour, it is rather grey – “we’re not them?” or “We are a bit green, a bit socialist, a bit free trade and a bit this and bit that?”
Martin Luther King set a great example “I believe…” as did John Kennedy ” I believe we should put a man on the moon..”. What does Labour believe?
Does Joe public know what Labour believes? Now is not the time for policies which can be attacked, nor to work out ways to point score against Key.
Now is the time to go for the heart, not the head. “WHY Labour” is the message which needs to relentlessly communicated. Not “WHAT Labour will do instead”, but WHY Labour. There’s a great TED talk by Simon Sinek which demonstrates the power of WHY, over WHAT.
Save WHAT for the election campaign. The heart message, the “Labour believes”, “Labour stands for…” is harder to attack, either by the politicians or by the media.
Goff’s decisiveness in dealing with Carter demonstrates the strength, now go for the heart.
@Mark M Go and knock on some doors. Talk to real people who are struggling and feeling demoralised. And get out of your armchair critique and do something. Then tell me politicans like me are to blame.
@ G Shumway: Free childcare?? For your information Gordon, families in this country (though perhaps for not much longer) receive 20 hours free ‘Early Childhood Education’; a right that is intended for all children, regardless of status or wealth. This is something to be very proud of, and very few people, rich or poor, that I have come across in Kindergartens begrudge any child this opportunity. Those families ‘rolling in it’ of course have the opportunity to send their children to a private ECE centre. Many do.
With regard to student’s fees and paid parental leave, are you proposing that only those people in society that are dirt poor receive these benefits, or University should be user pays? Just what sort of inequitable society do you want to live in? Every man for himself? You may call it middle class welfare dependency – others call it a fair and just society, where everyone can potentially benefit. However, the present inequality of income, opportunity , lack of investment and job growth is, of course, another story…
Claire,
Take a big deep breath and let your anger out.
There are no good reason why you have encountered the level of deparivity in Dunedin. Check out there rubbish and I bet you will find plenty of Maccies wrappers and beer bottles.
Go have a look and I mean a good look at some most other countries apart from Northern Europe and you will find real depravity.We are luckty to have some level of social security.
I realise that this conservative government under Shonky will lead us down the path of making the rich richer and in conjunction with having the shenanigans going on in our labour party meaning that its unlikely we will regain power any time soon its going to get tougher.
Please look for solutions rather than coming to us with the problems.
I am getting really tired of the negative attitudes from the likes of you.
Its time for the likes of you to demonstrate leadership.
Yes Mark. You go and knock on some doors. Go on. Off you go.
Then come back and give them a REAL serve.
Forgive them Lord, for they don’t know how funny they are.
Whats your solution Clare, launch a crusade against free trade to help NZ business? Theres a flipside to that coin:
http://www.3news.co.nz/Indian-milk-protests-could-harm-Free-Trade-deal/tabid/421/articleID/168395/Default.aspx
@Loota – nice to know you’re seeing red over this issue
Spud I am such a clutz with that blockquote command lol.
Clare, politicians like you ARE to blame. The sooner you and your ilk understand who you work for, i.e. not your party, then we will all benefit. I suggest you start thinking like a good engineer, a solution looking for a problem.
And it came to pass that King John The Clueless of Charmalot so cared for his beloved Underclass that me made more of them.
LOL
Good one BLiP 
!
Hm Yes but the modern Labour party is following the same old centre right economic policies that caused the poverty in the first place, I mean the party is even led by a “Douglas” acolyte ffs.
It seems you say one thing and then do another.
Remind me when labour started supporting Unites $15.00 an hour campaign min wage again ?
Contrast this to the Green Party who have always supported it
Social justice is what you want? you are in the wrong party Claire
I’m angry also. I’m angry that blinkered Labour typically wasted nine of the best trading years for NZ by fixating on such side issues as rainbow rights and nanny state policies and failing to actually grow the economy in order to fix all the problems you mention. We have had a government fixing the economy for less than 2 years now and it takes time for the growth. 9 or more years of National will be needed. For goodness sake the Treasury estimates that the sensible changes in Budget 2010 will bring 170,000 paying jobs.
Stop fixating on dividing the cake. We are growing the cake.
Just watched Michael Moore’s ‘Capitalism: a love story’, which provides a great analysis of Corporate America’s (particularly the banks) stranglehold on politics and politicians in the US. But ends with real grass roots examples of people collectively fighting back.
Easy to see similarities here.
Ha ha Fisiani “Let them eat cake” is that your motto?
Please stay angry Clare. There’s plenty of us who are feeling the same way. In due course our collective anger will start to infiltrate the public conscience, and this rabid government of disparate individuals will feel the heat like no other before it. It is rapidly shaping up to be the worst government in living memory!
“It is rapidly shaping up to be the worst government in living memory!”
Only in your memory Anne.
You demonstrate the problems when the angry left live in a world only populated by angry leftists and you begin to believe every thing you tell each other.
yes there is pain out there.
The whole world is in pain , but none of the problems can be fixed while you have this chip on your shoulder.
“In due course our collective anger will start to infiltrate the public conscience,”
Yes it has already started with Chris Carter but the public dont like anger.
thats why Clarke was dumped for key
@ Anne – ” It is rapidly shaping up to be the worst government in living memory!”
Yeah – most of New Zealand seem to think that – which is why they are so low in the polls.
Oh hang on. Perhaps not all of NZ are blinkered and can actually see what a good job this government is going, and that labour still have not moved on.
Good job?
Shudder 
I would hate to think what a botch up would look like then 
Hi Anne
!
We had nine years of growing the cake low unemployment the best for 30 years and distributing the results more evenly and paying down government debt.
Since then we have growing unemployment, and borrowing and tax increases to fund tax cuts. And yet more govt money going to ‘elite’ institutions like private schools($40 mill) and an elite sports training gym ( $25 mill) or regional RWC parties ($9 mill)
Im angry when scarce govt resources are going to the well off while those in most need are getting cut back.
And dont tell me more funding for private schools is growing the cake!
GWW you are really getting to the bottom of the economic issues challenging this country.
If $74 million of expenditure is a big concern to you , what are your thoughts on the $billions spent on welfare.
Agree with you though on private schools.
they should be banned.
im sure you would be more than happy to have your taxes( or benefit cut) increased to fund all the extra thousands of places in schools .
You would probably support PPPs to pay for all the extra classrooms too no doubt.
My memory is longer and more astute than your’s could ever be Mark M. It’s a well known tactic of right-wingnuts trolls to visit their own inadequacies on opponents. You don’t fool anyone except your own kind.
correction: right-wingnut trolls.
Sock it to em Anne
is it just me, or is it obvious to everyone that comments like monty’s for instance are nothing more than blunt hypocricy clothed in naked transference? i despair of ever getting coherent debate from these people.
Aw, Monty’s just doing his job
Sure it’s B.S. but I kinda like having him around 
bb they got nothing to debate about, only the repitition of PR lines and trying to steal the language of their opponents – the frakin NACTs aren’t about ‘growing the cake’ aren’t about ‘progressive’ govt, they are just a bunch of one liner spinners.
m m said:
Duh, that’s spent on the welfare of your neighbours, the children of the people who work with you, your relatives who have fallen on hard times, those you know who have suffered long term sickness or injury, or are trying to get some new clothes together for a job interview.
The country borrowing $240M a week for tax cuts, a.k.a. welfare for the wealthy, you must think that a more noble cause.
What are English and Jonkey going to be getting extra in hand? An extra $200-$300 per week right? Wow did they really need that tax cut to offset the GST increase on the $8000 p.w. they spend on goods and services? Or are they just going to pocket most of it since its the low income who are hit hardest by GST increases?
Man I know for a fact that’s welfare you NACTs approve of.
you can add chris to that list. you really need to up your dosage dude. wallow in your own fantasy world for long enough and your ability to tell that from reality is seriously compromised.
loota..well said.
spud… you mean like that ugly puppy that no one else wants?
I think that was offensive. Deleted and you are warned. Clare
“is it just me, or is it obvious to everyone that comments like monty’s for instance are nothing more than blunt hypocricy clothed in naked transference? i despair of ever getting coherent debate from these people.”
It is apparent that a view different to you or yours is more often that not BS, evil, troll, rich p****s, hypocrisy, uneducated, a lie etc… etc… Ah yes, yet again the unquestioning self-righteousness of the left. Nat may be coming up with some shocking and inept policies recently but last time I checked, our diverse country has a range of political views. It doesn’t make them wrong.
I see the reference to Michael Moore above, clever guy, well researched work and I like him. But he does represent a certain kind of lefty, one who regards the holding of opposed opinions as the quintessence of wickedness. A man might fiddle his taxes, lie to his friends or betray his wife, but none of these things is as reprehensible as, say, asserting that immigration rules are too lax.
In this film, Michael Moore said “Capitalism is evil, you have to eliminate it.” The interesting thing about his position is that, in common with many commentators and contributors of course, is that it doesn’t require him to come up with any alternatives. What Mr Moore asks for is a new economic order, however, he adds: “I don’t know how to construct that, I’m not an economist.” Mmmmmmm.
Clare. I’m angry too. Have been for some time.
sorry mate you can’t just spit out one liners and consider that a rational argument. You can’t make personal attacks designed to inflame and irritate without any substance and not be considered trolling. You want a solid debate on an issue posted on Red Alert? By all means, produce your argument and lets have a debate.
Capitalism is the most developed system we have today, it has highly developed structures, rules and mechanisms which come with it, so that is the reality with which we start. Now, one way ahead is to ensure that Govt (and business) make decisions which take into account but also look beyond the rules and values of ‘pure’ capitalism. For instance, the institution of ‘balanced score card’ measures which (fx.) take into account new technology gained, permanent jobs created, staff skills developed, community cohesion and environmental sustainability as very valid and real kinds of ‘capital’ which can be considered as part of an investment decision making process.
Voila instantly you have a way ahead using capitalism as a starting point but which moves our society beyond capitalism
Don’t need rocket science nor a PhD, yeah?
NZ seems to be a country in a lot of trouble and the politicians of the last 25 years of both right and left ARE to blame and anger from the electorate is justified I’m afraid.
This is our problem. We borrow $240 million a week from overseas. Meanwhile, because our policians have sold/allowed to be sold almost everything, the profits leave the country and we have no way of making enough money now to get out of the financial hole we are sinking into.
The dairy industry is the last thing keeping us afloat. Once we have lost control of it (and we are losing control of it rapidly) we must surely then fall quickly, and maybe with little warning, into third world status. The poverty you speak of now Clare will be nothing compared to what is in our future.
I have been patiently waiting for Labour to move away from its neolib ideals, but as things currently stand I see very little difference between National and Labour apart from a little tweaking around the edges of policy. I won’t vote Labour again until the old neolib guard is gone and you get some people in charge who understand the dire macro picture and have some new ideas.
loota
Thanks for telling us the country is borrowing $240m a week for tax cuts.
Gee I wasnt aware we were getting $12.48billion in tax cuts , but i stand by your greater knowledge.
The scary thing is your knowledge (or lack thereof ) probably exceeds that of Chris Carters who held a very senior cabinet position for 9 years.
Thanks.
One of the similarities between the US and NZ as shown in Michael Moore’s movie is that there is a huge wealth transfer from the poor and low paid to the rich. The borrowing in NZ for tax cuts for the well off, while increasing GST, are two examples. It is now happening in the UK too with drastic cuts to disability and other allowances. All this helps dismantle the welfare state and increase inequality, which is not not healthy for anyone, as shown in the book the Spirit Level.
@1.41 – No, but now that you mention it, whose a good Monty? You are, yes you are, yes you are
It’s more like he’s been around forever and I’ve kinda warmed to him. He’s just part of the blog now, a bit like Oscar the grouch
I meant who’s, what is happening to my spelling lately