9 Comments

What a brilliantly lit fuse this piece of writing is, Mike. Bravo. I’m fervently hoping I will be able to memorize it word for word in order to quote it verbatim!! There is so much common sense in what you say here it beggars belief that anyone with half an ounce of decency could argue otherwise. We knew they were lying about their tax cut nirvana. So did the media but said nothing. We knew they would be petty, punitive, nasty and incompetent. They always are. And yet here we are fighting harder than we have had to for decades for the crumbs we know have always failed to trickle down, thanks to the beguiled, the narcissistic, and the truly stupid. Even if we can kick them to the curb next election the damage these fools have unleashed with take another decade to mend. For a party that bangs on about better results in maths exams it’s ironic that none of them can add up worth a damn.

Expand full comment

An admirable analysis of an idiotic neoliberal ideological nightmarish government. But speaking with the overview of a Canadian immigrant who has been in this country since 1965, I cannot help thinking that Kiwis en masse are really dumb and sheep-like...otherwise why would they vote for poseurs like Luxon and Seymour, who had no proven political track record!!!

Expand full comment

Brilliant summary. Aotearoa went neoliberal relatively early and hard, we have seen a massive growth in inequality and continue to reap the social toll. Surprisingly!! we are not a high skills productive economy as a result. Yet these muppets keep thrusting neoliberal nonsense as the “solution “. To what exactly?

Expand full comment

A great post Mike!

Expand full comment

Well said sir.

In terms of fairness, we have 3 distinct tax categories.

1. Revenue tax. That is what wage and salary earners pay on every dollar they earn.

2. Business tax. Tax is paid on profits only, after the deduction of expenses. A business also pays capital gains. If they sell an asset for more than it's depreciated value they pay tax on the excess.

3. Landlord tax. Tax is paid only on profits after the deduction of expenses. But also they accrue tax free capital gains on the sale of any property.

Expand full comment

Excellent piece Mike and I am equally troubled by this jaunt if Chippys to Starmer who is a total sellout p..ck.

Expand full comment

“Hear hear!”

Expand full comment

I think the more important person that Hipkins met is Alistair Campbell ( no not inside knowledge but mentioned in passing on the “Rest is politics”) AC is one of the most astute politically and I think if they had a good conversation/discussion it would be very helpful as AC completely understands Luxon’s playbook copied from Liz Truss and being a bit further away from NZ can put some perspective. I wouldn’t worry too much about Keir Stammer’s influence.

Expand full comment
author

Spending any time with Alistair Campbell is no recommendation whatsoever, he along with Blair were the architects of 'New Labour', which really should have been named 'New Tory's', and if that's the direction Hipkins is taking the Labour Party he can get stuffed!

Expand full comment