Key Notes No.22 - Rt Hon John Key

32 Comments
12 November 2007
Key Notes No.22

"Democracy under attack" – New Zealand Herald Editorial

The editorial in this morning's New Zealand Herald says it all. Democracy in New Zealand is under attack from Labour's Electoral Finance Bill.

Labour is trying to rort the electoral system because it is desperate to retain power. New Zealanders should be deeply worried when a government starts to put its own preservation ahead of their right to freely express their political opinions.

National has been campaigning for months against this travesty of a bill. In August, I spoke to the National Press Club and described in detail what is wrong with it and why it should be scrapped. For more, read my press release today.

Labour's spin on tax cuts

Watch my video journal, here.

Helen Clark and Michael Cullen have spent the past eight years trotting out excuse after excuse about why they can't cut taxes. Now they're claiming they wanted to cut taxes all along but didn't because of Treasury advice. That just doesn't stack up. Throughout its term in office, Labour has known it could afford to cut taxes while also carrying out its spending and investment programme.

In the House last Tuesday, I showed how Helen Clark has misled the public over personal tax cuts and the advice she claims to have received from officials. Watch and comment on my questions to her.

Yesterday, on TVNZ's Agenda, Michael Cullen showed that his conversion to tax cuts is grudging, at best. He has no appreciation that tax revenue is taxpayer money not the Government's; he has no understanding of the benefits to the economy of cutting taxes; and he has given up on trying to narrow the earnings gap with Australia.

That's just not good enough.

National is committed to lowering the tax burden on all New Zealanders. In a growing economy, reducing tax should be part of the routine business of government. Labour's sudden and cynical road-to-Damascus conversion just isn't credible.

Focusing on Law and Order

A violent crime occurs in New Zealand every 10 minutes. There's a sexual attack every four hours. And someone is robbed every three-and-a-half hours.

The level of crime in our society is unacceptable. Kiwis and their families have a right to feel safer in their homes, their streets, and their neighbourhoods. That's why more effective law and order policies will be a major focus of a National Government.

Recently, when I spoke at the Police Association National Conference, I outlined a number of new policies to enhance policing. These have been developed by our spokesman Simon Power after consulting with sector groups and everyday New Zealanders. They include:

1. Introducing tasers, subject to a positive evaluation of the trial.
2. Requiring DNA samples to be taken from people arrested for offences punishable by imprisonment. Like fingerprints, samples will be retained only if the person is convicted.
3. Giving police the ability to issue time-bound, on-the-spot protection orders.
4. Strengthening the Bail Act to make it harder for people accused of violent crime to get bail.

We will complete the campaign to recruit an additional 1000 sworn and 250 non-sworn officers by mid-2009. We want the bulk of these extra sworn officers to be given pro-active policing roles that make our streets safer and prevent crime.

We will work hard to ensure that the public's confidence in the police is maintained. We want to see progress in the implementation of the recommendations of the Bazley Report on police conduct, and we support the Police Act review to ensure the police have the legislative powers, controls, and obligations that the public expects.

We will clamp down on gangs by:
1. Strengthening the law that makes it illegal to be a member of a criminal organisation.
2. Amending the Crimes Act to make it easier for police to conduct surveillance on gang communications.
3. Changing the Local Government Act to give police increased powers to remove and storm gang fortifications.
4. Amending the Sentencing Act to make gang membership an aggravating factor in sentencing.

These are just the first in a comprehensive and interlocking series of law and order policies that I will release in the run-up to the election. In coming months I will cover:
- Youth justice.
- Enhancing the rights of victims.
- Sentencing the worst offenders.
- Rehabilitating those offenders who are redeemable.
- Improving the management of our prisons and our courts.

National is 100% committed to reducing crime, making our criminal justice system more effective, and building a safer future for all New Zealanders.

Setting the agenda on tax

Earlier in the year, Labour labelled our policy on Turbo-charging Community Groups as "Tory charity". But last week it released a paper on the tax treatment of volunteers that's almost identical to the policy National announced in May. Community groups and volunteers will welcome this development.

Now that Labour is adopting our policy on the tax treatment of volunteers and changing its tune on personal tax cuts, it's obvious that National is well and truly setting the agenda on tax policy.

John Key MP
Leader of the National Party

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#1 - Alain Liger 2007-11-12 17:09 - (Reply)

I can only support 200% your comments on security and I am sure this will be a great election theme. But what about tax? Is it not time for an overhaul? I follow with interest the Singapore system of reducing individual and company tax and replacing it with Gst; if you earn a lot, you spend a lot and pay more tax but also if you save a lot you pay far less tax than people who do not save and last but not least, visitors to NZ would pay more tax as well. Much fairer a system than any income related tax system.

#1.1 - Brian 2007-11-12 21:18 - (Reply)

I agree with your comments. But what specific legislation are you going to repeal, if you win the election?

#2 - Richard Swaney said:
2007-11-12 20:03 - (Reply)

I won't be holding my breath, I've lost alot of faith in politicans to lead to getting some commonsence into our justice sysytem, not where where rehabilitaion is about serving some of your time and doing some self development courses to gain credit s to a fastrack release. How about paying for your crime with working off your sentence. Let them make bricks and build low cost housing, "If you do the crime work off your time" Better that than over $60k a year cost to us that pays the bills. There must be alot of basic infrastucture that these bad eggs could find redeemption for their crimes.

#3 - Gary Strangman 2007-11-12 20:10 - (Reply)

I agree with your comments on Law & Order but before giving the Police more power they need to be held accountable for their actions. It is time for an INDEPENDENT Police Complaints Authority. I'm sure most members of the Police would agree that an independent complaint system would help them to be seen as accountable for their actions and would avoid some of the abuse of police power seen in the media over the last few years.

#4 - Sandra Iversen 2007-11-12 21:03 - (Reply)

You're right - it is the taxpayers' money not the government's. Hopefully National will also look closely into how much of taxpayers' money is needlessly wasted. Perhaps you could consider redeploying the traffic police from collecting revenue from law-abiding citizens who exceed the speed limit now and again to controlling non law-abiding citizens who offend regularly.

#5 - Ron 2007-11-12 21:03 - (Reply)

Re: *Strengthening the Bail Act to make it harder for people accused of violent crime to get bail.* _You’ll need to do a damn sight more than that!_ In recent talks with a Snr Sergeant I learned that bail is a complete farce and the crim's find it a huge joke. They can now totally ignore bail conditions secure in the knowledge that non-obervance no longer results in bail being cancelled. 1. Build more prisons to house the crim’s who deserve to be behind bars. 2. Make sure judges do what they’re there for – ie. prevent them from taking the soft line and twisting the law to suite their own “progressive” ideas. 3. Most importantly – stop the blatant non-observance of bail conditions by making it mandatory that those who infringe bail conditions go STRAIGHT BACK TO GAOL – without passing go – without collecting $200 -?000 further defence costs from the taxpayer. The law's a castrated ass - it's only purpose appears to be to print money for - guess who! - the lawyers - the [expletive] who cannot even write an effective law in the first place - like the Terrorist fiasco!

#5.1 - Vivien Christian 2007-11-13 19:55 - (Reply)

With regard to the kerfuffle regarding Maori terrorists: If we were to apply the same ruling to the Maori as the Africans do to mixed marriages there would be no Maori in New Zealand. My husband and I worked in Malawi for 2 years and I found out from the Malawians who worked for me that they do not accept as members of tribes those children resulting from marriages between different tribes - children from white/African marriages were, according to them, called by a word to rude to be translated for me! When they heard that there were only about 3 very old full-blooded Maori in New Zealand, they told me that the no African in any African nation would accept as Maori those who were not full-blooded. It would seem, therefore, that to end all the Maori problems in NZ that we should revert back to the old law that declared that only those who were full-blooded and half-blood Maori/other could call themselves Maori, that all others, irrespective of how they felt, were New Zealanders. If it were made known to the United Nations Indigenous Peoples Tribunal that there were no full-blooded Maori in New Zealand then there would be no support coming from that quarter for the Maori people in New Zealand. Result - no more use of the Treaty of Waitangi, or any other problems.

#6 - John Brady said:
2007-11-12 21:48 - (Reply)

Mr Key Please note to stop crime you need to make the penalities fit the crime 1250 police ontop of labours additions will do nothing if you dont make the penalities touch enough to make crims think before they act john just when I thought you may of been the answer to Nz problems you come up with dumb ideas and makes me wonder and wait longer to see if i will support national

#7 - Fay Lobb 2007-11-12 21:56 - (Reply)

Going well. Keep it up & Good Luck.

#8 - Graeme 2007-11-12 22:03 - (Reply)

"dividend" I think we will see this as a new Helen/Cullen term for one time payout to wage earners under $60K if they vote for Labour next year. Sounds like we need the UN to monitor and comment on the elections.

#9 - Coralie winter 2007-11-12 22:09 - (Reply)

my Husband and I have been Small Businness owners four about 26 years we employ 3 or 4 staff we pay huge Acc levies ,which we dont mind to much but we really struggle to pay the HUGE taxes that we are asked to pay, Labour has promised since they have been in power to help small Bussiness owner but have never done a thing,

#10 - Peter Boylan 2007-11-12 22:14 - (Reply)

Dear John, I support much of your law & order statement and i realise it's merely a summary - nonetheless, to state DNA specimens from all those arrested for an offense that attracts imprisonment is alarming! Dangerous driving attracts imprisonment as does many other non violent offenses; albeit offending, to demand a swab of saliva, or perhaps even a dollop of blood at the road side or holding cell from citizens who may have made a single mistake, had an accident or momentarily exercised rash judgment, exhibits a third Reich remedy. We want you for an overall fairer and better way of life not a State ring-of-steel! The solution must always be more effective policing - evidence gathering can and should never be so State empowered that it infringes on the way of life of the wider innocent community.

#11 - Barry Ward 2007-11-12 22:41 - (Reply)

I applaud your views on the issues outlined and your ideas and expected policies to do something about them. At last a Party Leader who communicates well with the NZ voter, is straightforward, doesn't mess with words and gives us real hope that the 2008 Election will produce a huge swing to the right and give us a National Government for the long term.

#12 - Kevin Hicks 2007-11-12 23:17 - (Reply)

1. Please spread the word that there is a protest march in Auckland against the Electoral finance Bill. *Saturday 17th November 10am at Aotea square* Please be there. March to Britomart. 2. Morale of rank and file police officers is very low after years of being donged on by a small minority of radicals on the left through the MSM hysteria. They need all the support we can give them as they try to keep law and order with no help from a government and bureaucracy who don't give a stuff.

#13 - Judi 2007-11-12 23:32 - (Reply)

With regard to Law and Order Policies, I would like to see automatic name suppression for victims. My daughter recently had her name, job description, AND place of work published by the Dom Post when she was the victim and key witness in a District Court Hearing. The offender STILL has name suppression. When I asked the Dom Post about this, they didn't bother to reply to my email, but one of their journalists told me later that "The Police should've asked for it" (victim name suppression). If the journalists won't operate under a reasonable code of ethics, then it will have to be made law for victims to be given AT LEAST the same considerations as the offender.

#14 - Vincent Pooch 2007-11-13 05:46 - (Reply)

The points you make are important. But for me there is a far greater issue at the moment and that is the incompetent settlement the Ministry of Education and the PPTA have imposed on schools in terms of teachers pay. Which means that schools have to "pay" for extra teachers in front of smaller classes without being funded for it. Education (the basis of progress of a nation) is being starved in a time of huge prosperity from tax revenues. In the case of your own old school John, this is a serious issue!

#15 - Tom Wilson 2007-11-13 06:09 - (Reply)

I am all for personal tax cuts! not just for the lower income bracket as they are the ones who benifit from evrything the government does! Family tax credits are just a joke! I have a good job, studied hard and became a tradesman. I work long hours to try and get ahead but with haveing to pay the top tax its just not worth it! no wonder all of our freinds and family are in Aussie now! 35hr weeks, Tax incentives, better liveing etc. If the next government dont drop taxes were out of here too.....

#16 - Wayne 2007-11-13 07:30 - (Reply)

Keep the pressure up John! I agree, we are long over due for a tax cut. Labour has been stalling for far to long on this topic. Its time for a change in government !!!

#17 - Jayne Cummins 2007-11-13 08:01 - (Reply)

Regarding law and order - everything has been undermined from childhood to prevent discipline. A child can't be smacked by it's parents, the schools are not allowed to discipline children - suspension seems to be their answer because they can't cope with the bad ones. You'll probably shout me down as barbaric but parents know when a child needs a smack and the cane worked wonders when I was at school (no I never needed it) but it was a tremendous deterent and it taught respect for authority, which no-one seems to have anymore. A term of National Service would be good for uncontrollable youth.

#18 - David Francis 2007-11-13 08:16 - (Reply)

Is it ever going to dawn on anyone that Goverment is there to serve the people and to do what's in the best interests of the Country? What is being done to us is simply "What's in the best interests of the Labour Party" - it has nothing to do with NZ. We need a bit of the French Farmer culture here, - how about organising ourselves and blocking motorways to make ourselves heard - it seems to work in France.

#19 - Dominic Costello 2007-11-13 08:59 - (Reply)

Last election we were nearly rid of Labour but National clearly signalled and went head to head with an Act party that was looking strong as an ideal coalition partner. As a National voter I was discouraged from voting for Act as National hoped to go alone. This election Labour will be buying the idiot vote with their own money and National will struggle despite the huge ground swell of disatisfaction with Labours social engineering and theft of our own hard earned money. How many more times will Aucklanders get to pay $0.10 cent more per litre for roading. You may remember also that Don Brash proved in his famous Orewa speech that we Maori and the related race based liberal policies that abound are not a sacred tabu that a polititions dare not speak out on. Done with honesty and serious concern for all New Zealanders it would be a winner with the silent Maori majority and all fair minded voters. Good old Winnie is making serious inroads with it in his usual lead up to an election. The fact that he is doing it does not make it wrong.

#20 - Kevin Hicks 2007-11-13 09:56 - (Reply)

If the French or Aussies had to put up with what we get dished out they'd be doing more than blocking motorways. - think politicians not being able to get into parliament for the manure. Actually it is time for desperate rational politicians to use the people more through direct democracy, protest and referenda. Let all voices be heard, not just the people who have got time to spam the government websites with 200 page submissions.

#21 - Keith Manson 2007-11-13 10:15 - (Reply)

The Herald has paved the way for a more aggressive and public attack by you on the Electoral Finance Bill. The public at large, the swinging voter, need to experience another example of the strength you will bring as the leader of our nation, don't let this opportunity lapse.

#22 - Anne Rennie 2007-11-13 11:10 - (Reply)

I believe that NZers, regardless of political persuasion, want a society in which they KNOW that everyone has access to food, drink, shelter, health care, and education as a basic right. The problem at present is that they do not. Successive governments appear to think it's fine to tolerate social 'casualties' and then whine for more police to control them. The simple fact is, it all starts with children. If they grow up in dysfunctional homes, they will often be dysfunctional adults. The 'liberal' society is obsessed with throwing out 'conservative' values but has thrown the baby out with the bathwater and is reaping the social rewards. I believe that very few NZers feel 'cared for' by their governments any longer. While everyone is cynical about politics, there were always some politicians who appeared to be where the 'people' are or knew where the 'people' wanted to go. It's impossible to know who to vote for now because no politician has that quality, probably because they don't come from 'the people' and don't know what it's like to live 'down here' any longer. The closest we have is Winston Peters who has a wonderful habit of saying "The emperor has no clothes on" and is then attacked for saying what the 'people' want to hear. I think Helen Clarke probably deluded herself that she would lead NZ in noble directions. The Labour Government has become a vehicle for politicians and powerful minority groups to force the country to comply with their own personal desires, convictions and obsessions and it is getting worse. Meanwhile, social statistics are some of the worst in the world. Mr Key, NZ needs a Leader of the People, whom they can look up to, not for his wealth, but for his values and integrity, common sense and compassion, who values not just his freedom but that of the general populace, who creates a society in which hard work is rewarded. That current fact is that 'working hard' in this society no longer ensures a basic quality of life and, while the state 'nannies' our speech, values and lifestyles, it continues to proliferate laws and taxes that make it ever more difficult to survive. 'Success' is now perceived to come from being 'clever' not working hard - an example is the proposals around electoral financing. Little wonder there is increasing crime from those who are not 'clever' or who drink/take drugs to be able to live with it. Let alone the fact that the general populace is being increasingly 'criminalised' by over-enthusiastic authorities and a Nazi-like encouragement to inform on others. At no time should a child be critically injured because someone tried to avoid a police alcohol 'checkpoint', let alone killed because they were speeding. An owner of a deliberately vicious dog should be prosecuted on behalf of the animal and the victims, not the whole country taxed to fund 'dog laws' throughout the country in case the Chihuahuas get out of hand. Citizens should be able to move around in society without authorities looking over their shoulders to discover minor 'sins' and prosecute or taser them. A speeding fine for doing 60km per hour may be a minor imposition to some but for others it's food for the week. Focus on those doing 160km. We do not need education and training in accepting e.g. homosexuals and prostitutes, we need education and training in achieving self-acceptance and integrity, respect it in others and care for others as we do for ourselves. Currently, we are encouraged to berate and 'whip' ourselves every day for our endless 'failings'. Politicians are in the position of modelling the standards. Those they have been modelling in recent years are appalling, not only personally but in institutionalising 'bullying' and 'domination', a feature which is now a critical problem in schools. The fact is, in the name of giving all people 'rights' (however bizarre), the right to be yourself and 'average' has been seriously diminished in my view. So whether it's tax cuts, justice, education etc. etc. apply those principles and I believe you will be followed. Society starts with children so start looking after them and you will have better adults. Reward people for working hard and they will - make it possible for the least able people/family to survive working a 40 hour week and the more able will thrive and so will the economy. Get your collective feet back on the ground.

#23 - Kevin Hicks 2007-11-13 12:36 - (Reply)

A very good post from Anne Rennie. I think the vast majority of people want this but we can’t get it because of the tyranny of the minority. As Theodore Darymple says “we pay absurdly high taxes and all we get for our money is an increasingly hostile state”. Here is my skeletal outline for an agenda to get NZ back on track: 1. Signal to NZ that the politics of division forced on us have failed and we need to celebrate our similarities as well as our differences. Fight against the attitude to pander to certain interest groups - JK’s speech to the Maori entrepreneurs was a good first step in this in that he only offered to make the environment better for all entrepreneurs. Criticise politicians for telling certain sectors they are under privileged and deprived because these politicians are ruining people’s lives and keeping them in the “underclass” (stop using this word btw – it is the politics of envy and division). 2. Tell people the truth – by treading water just because we have had buoyant agriculture sales and a corrupt tax system that redistributes that wealth does not mean our economy is going well. We are actually slipping badly down the OECD and even third world countries are overtaking us. 3. Sustainability – its all about sustainability. If we want sustainable health, welfare, environment etc – all this will only flow from a sustainable economy which we do not have at present. We need to use the money that is wasted in taxes to phase in a clean, lean, green sustainable SECONDARY economy so we can have first world health care, education etc. Have a 20y ear plan to phase this in emphasising that business that are phased out will not loose but will be assisted to phase into the new industries – ie have the trust of business to bring about these changes – don’t just punish tem with taxes and hpe for the best – reward them by including them in the shift to the new 2ndary 4. Integrate bluegreen policy into all areas to prove that you are committed to the environment. National can do this because they have the trust of business, the other parties don’t. 5. Put a stop to urban sprawl and other uncontrolled development that is mortgaging our children’s future with hidden infra structure and disaster relief costs. Make it a 20 year plan to phase out short term gain for long term pain, condemning our bright young workers to either pay exorbitant rents or commute 30-40km (yes!) while housing corp tenants live in the centre of town. Housing is one of the reasons we cannot bring in the new knowledge/secondary economy. Put a sinking lid once and for all on property as the best investment, phase out the LAQC which was brought in only because baby boomers panicked about their retirement and phase in investment in clean lean green industry as the best retirement plan. 6. Bring back person responsibility by a short term raising of punishments for criminals and a long term societal change in the attitude to how we treat each other (including railing against politicians and others who use the politics of division and envy as their personal springboard to further their own careers 7. Devolve as many social services back to the community. Loss of community is one of the biggest causes of all our problems 8. Re-deploy planning to central government. Local authorities have failed to act sensibly in environmental and planning issues because they are too at the mercy of needing money (or so they think so). This has now gone to the point that if you cross the council’s palm with enough silver you can get away with almost anything. 9. Fight the politics of envy so that we can attract the top workers from around the world as and when we need them. 10. Invest properly in scientific research and development – to at least OECD targets and beyond. This will help drive the move to a clean, lean green secondary industry sandwiched between the primary sector and the state/quango/charity axis. This means we could more easily attract the workers we need because they could move freely between public and private sector and the productive sectors could compete with the bureaucracy in wages, conditions and career paths, which they can’t do now. To prove to yourself this is better than what we have now just think – if we have to hide unemployment why not hide it in research and development rather than the bureaucracy? At least that has the potential for increasing sustainable real jobs for our kids and grandkids. The only fly in the ointment is as the economy improves prices go up so the economists need to work on that one. One thing we need is much more capital expenditure rather than low tech jobs just to hide unemployment. In the long run that will lead to more sustainable employment, jobs to attract our kids back from overseas and the ability to pay for the goodies of a first world economy like top health, education and welfare. The alternatives do not lead to this outcome. Rant Ends

#24 - Kevin Hicks 2007-11-13 13:06 - (Reply)

Oops, I meant to say the best way to acheive (9) is to have a simple and completely transparent tax system instead of the complicated and opaque wealth re-distribution system we have now. As part of the streamlining in may of those above points it is now time to have a total overhaul of the ludcrously expensive and ineffcient judicial system. this is also necessary to stop the judiciary failing to carry out the peoples wishes regarding public safety from recidivist violent criminals. To give one tiny example of the wastage it is presently costing the residents of Balmoral a minimum of $25K to oppose the MacDonalds store there (the issue that Helen Clark decided wade into!). It will be costing MacDonalds at least as much fighting this. That is a minimum of $50K being sucked out of the economy where it could be invested in phasing in clean lean green industry and instead will be spend by the recipients (lawyers) on overseas investments and coastal mansions which they will then expect the taxpayer to pay for when they slip into the sea.

#25 - Kevin Hicks 2007-11-13 13:53 - (Reply)

In the 80s we suffered short term pain for long term gain. Because Labour and to a certain extent the coalition government before them totally squandered the opportunity to develop a 2nd tier of smart industry to make us more self reliant and productive, we are now back to haiving to go through it all again. I would ask as many young people (I have 5 of them) to get involved as possible and try to vote for and work for a long term solution that is phased in gradually where tax reductions and the economy will be sustainable. I know it is hard to think long term when you are young but your kids will thank you for it. I for one would be prepared to put up with a poorer retirement if I knew that the money would be used responsibly to bring in a sustainable economy and environment. The panic of the baby boomers (which I am on the tail end of) over their retirement has meant that house prices have got completely out of control to the point that most of our kids can't afford one. So their panic has backfired badly on them. For this I apologise to young people on their behalf. The injustice of this system is such that I would like to see a long term sinking lid policy on housing as an investment, and as an export industry for short term gain, combined with phasing in real sustainable tax cuts as the new economy comes on line. Please dont vote for the biggest handout, the situation is too critical, especially if you intend to have children and want them to come back after their OE.

#26 - Paul Rossiter 2007-11-13 16:48 - (Reply)

Looking back over the years we are often promised a get tough on crime aproach before an election, But when in power the real problem of overcrowded prisions causea a change of heart. I agree violent offenders should not get bail ,but to keep them all in custody you need more prison space. A balanced policy with more money for places of detension is required if the promises about locking up violent offenders are to be kept.

#27 - dad4justice said:
2007-11-15 06:16 - (Reply)

The Law and Order problem will never be fixed in kiwiland until we have a bond of trust between the people and police . Police integrity is at a all time low and much the same can be said for many of our communities where out of control youth gangs are cementing children drug addicts into society . The schools are unable to teach these kids and they become walking angry time bombs all ready to occupy a cell by the age of 20 . Its sad , however the problems are far greater than government . Its too late for much of New Zealand society ?

#28 - Doug McLean 2007-11-15 09:55 - (Reply)

I am a 70 year old man who looks after a children's school crossing every morning and afternoon. After waving my arm at a man who drove through a red light, I was confronted very threateningly and reported the threats to police. They took down the details and I haven't heard anything more. Obviously he has to hit me over the head or knock me to the ground and kick the hell out of me before anything can be done. I do not blame the police because I know their job is made almost impossible by red tap and "protection of the perpertrator" The thing is it is people like the man who confronted me, and teenagers like the Christchurch taggers, that lead to the bad criminal element in places like Christchurch getting their way, and making our cities such dangerous places. We need a police force with the powers that mean if they apprehend someone they have to face the consequences of their actions. Not be allowed to do community service that is rarely ever done, or at least not done properly. I welcome your law and order policies and hope you have the opportunity to let New Zealanders know in detail what you plan to do. Every decent New Zealander wants it. Then Tame Iti won't be able to clear his nose at dignitaries, and blast a shotgun into the New Zealand flag, and then be able to get political parties supporting him against our police force. As things are why should police do anything?

#29 - Rhea 2007-11-20 12:17 - (Reply)

Lies, Lies and Statistics! The Labour website has got a document under their "achievments" link titled "The state of our nation 1999-2007 – some facts and examples." They have posted statistics on low unemployment numbers, justice, living standards. I think that National should counter these statistics that cast Labour in a positive light with some other statistics that show the other side of the coin! The "Living Standards" section for example could counter that NZ has slid down in the OECD comparison, and "Justice" could counter that more prisoners are being awarded money from the Victims and Prisoners Claims Act 2005 than innocent victims, and the number of court cases on hold due to defendants absconding. Otherwise people will read the Labour statistics and think "what a good job they are doing, look at all these good statistics" without knowing the whole story. Once people are more informed then they will be able to make better choices at the voting booth.

#30 - Ken Chandler 2007-11-23 11:56 - (Reply)

Your above policies are appreciated BUT why have you not mentioned the proposed policy on doctor' fees and charges your party plans to lift any control which will hit hard for the elderly and the unemployed without any benefits. You are supporting the rich to get richer at the expense of the sick as suspected from the beginning. Also, why should candidates be accorded taxpayers funds for fighting elections which would ultimately be their personal achievements in the first place and furthermore if they are successful they will be employed.....leave alone the practice of being done for years? It should be fair to pay for one's own funding for electioneering!

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