PM Jacinda Ardern deserves our thanks and respect for her crisis leadership, but she ultimately failed to deliver on her own transformational promises because of her fiscal conservatism.
I wrote and said publicly last year there was a non-negligible but real chance she would retire just before Christmas or early this year before the resumption of Parliament and in time for a new Labour leader to prepare for the election. I saw a retirement as possible, in part because of the intense pressures of the job over her five years in charge, and in part because Ardern has, bit by bit, ruled out many new policy areas for Labour.
She also knew she had become personally and viscerally unpopular with a section of the electorate, some of whom are swinging voters able to bring in a new Government. But it’s fair to say this is a surprise and a complete shock to most. It completely throws open the prospects for this year’s election, which is now set to be on October 14. I said it was possible, but never believed it was probable. It’s still a shock.
Ardern will be replaced by a new Labour leader and Prime Minister if two-thirds of the Labour caucus agree on a new leader in a vote on Sunday, but (in theory) without her deputy Grant Robertson as a candidate. He has said he will not stand again, but I think there’s a chance the caucus will beg him to do it, given he remains the most popular and accomplished politician in the caucus.
If Robertson is resolute about not taking the job, the vaguely viable candidates to replace her include Cabinet ministers Chris Hipkins, Michael Wood, Megan Woods and Kiri Allan.
In my view, only Robertson would be able to revive Labour enough to reverse National’s lead in the polls and win the election. Hipkins is most likely to win the caucus vote, in my view, given his experience and resolve under pressure.
The ultimate tragedy of Jacinda Ardern, the politician
She promised so much in 2017, won the enthusiasm of so many, and ultimately failed to deliver. She wasn’t transformational, but did some extraordinarily good things in two of the biggest crisis moments in Aotearoa’s modern history. Her commitment to fiscal orthodoxy and limiting the tax take to 30% of GDP, along with ruling out capital gains or wealth taxes, meant she could not achieve what she promised on housing, transport, climate change and child poverty.
She ruled out so many pathways that there were few places for Labour to go with its reforming instincts. I think that is ultimately why she is leaving. I had a column written and unpublished on why should should retire now to open up pathways to reform. Procrastination is never a good idea..some of it is repurposed here.
In the end, she deserves our utmost respect and thanks. She was instinctively extraordinary with her responses and leadership after the Christchurch attacks and the arrival of Covid. Ultimately though, her innate conservatism, including on the issue of cannabis reform, means she will never be seen as a transformational Prime Minister.
However, she was an extraordinary one who worked brutally hard for five years, sacrificed much personally and was both gracious and empathetic. In front of the camera, and behind. She certainly does not deserve the enmity of those who protested against her last year outside Parliament.
So what happens now? And will it make a difference?
Everything is up in the air with no clear successor. A popular replacement with a new set of policies might have upset the trajectory of National and ACT, which at this stage appeared to be on track for victory, but there is no obvious candidate or set of policies beyond Ardern’s that are in prospect.
My current view is this cements the likelihood of a National-ACT victory on October 14, with no fundamental change in tax, Government spending or social policies, other than the reversal of Labour’s interest deductibility and bright-line measures, along with the truncation of Three Waters, the removal of the clean car rebate scheme and no follow-through on a levy on farm emissions.
From a purely political and financial view, it’s more likely to lower interest rates, increase residential land prices, increase net migration, increase nominal GDP, lower the Budget deficit, lower net debt-to-GDP, further restrict productivity growth, slow real wage growth and increase the emigration of young New Zealanders who come from renting families.
But many stranger things have happened. A week is a long time in politics. A few quiet weeks over summer turned out to be much more consequential for our political economy than we expected.
Or maybe not consequential at all.
128 Comments
If anyone wants to learn politics, they should enrol in school of Jacinda.
Make all the promises in the world but then sit and watch the river flow.
Put a rod in the water and pretend to catch something. Although that rod had no bait at the other end so nothing will be achieved.
Certainly kudos to her to NOT ONLY do what all politicians do but top in the university of politics with a honors.
Undeniably she carried the day with regard to the tragedy of the terrorist in Christchurch. In my experience of PMs, going back to Holland who I met when I was a youth, no other New Zealand PM would have done better, save for David Lange. But that was still only one event and pathos while in itself admirable, is largely inadequate as far as the vast number of challenges and expectations facing prime ministers. Perhaps too there is kudos for the lockdown and border closure but here this was overall more a collective initiative of clinical and bureaucratic experts, and hard to imagine any PM, save probably Muldoon, not following suit. Her legacy will be the celebrity status earned over the terrorism and to a much lesser degree that she was the skipper during the nations voyage through the pandemic.
PMs are skilled at the personal touch. Including scomo who managed to pull off a turnaround to the backlash
I don't really get ardern getting all the credit in this case. IMO the police's ultra quick action apprehending the offender and undoubtedly saving many lives, are the true true heroes. The guy with the eftpos machine who fought back did more than ardern. He risked his life to save others.
Neither National, not Labour, have a vision of a productive New Zealand economy. National mistakes gross GDP and an inflated housing market for a rockstar, while Labour is afraid of being Labour
Time for New Zealanders to vote outside the bipartisanship I guess
Sadly, we get the government we deserve.
The hagiography continues unabated in the MSM as well.
The only reason Jacinda has resigned is that she can't handle rejection. If she was still winning in the polls she'd still be there to ensure Labours 3rd term & then resign after say 6m "with the ship in good hands".
The only reason why she's now rejected is her fundamental breach of good faith with the electorate in pursuing the He Puapua co government seperatist & racist agenda she kept secret from the public so had no mandate for. She brought herself down.
Shakespeare covered leadership hubris leading to failure far more eloquently.
The only reason Jacinda has resigned is that she can't handle rejection. If she was still winning in the polls she'd still be there to ensure Labours 3rd term & then resign after say 6m "with the ship in good hands".
Well put. The 2017 and 2020 elections were won on personality politics and fearmongering respectively. She knows full well that neither of those things will work this time around, and given Labour's track record over the past two terms of government, she can't possibly campaign on policy.
The Key government opened up the Pandora's box of He puapua. Clark was against that declaration. So, don't think it will disappear under a National government.
Great in an emergency but more of a manager in the policy space.
It seems to me Prime Minister Ardern saved Labour at the last election with the early COVID response. Labour will have to absolutely scramble here because if they fight National on neoliberal policies they will lose.
Definitely not fiscally conservative when handing out overpaid gigs to consultants.
Give her thanks? You must be joking. She resigned not died. This reads like a eulogy.
Her legacy will be as a talisman and little else. Cost of living up. Housing cost up. Social outcomes down. Business confidence down.
She got the beginning of Covid right but made a mess of the middle and end. The stimulatory economic response was awful.
Yep. And based on my life experience, as a leader, one should be accountable for the incompetence of one's generals and foot soldiers. That's what leadership is about.
Agree, and criticising the protesters is poor. They are not my people, but why did so many feel the need to march on parliament in the first place?
Once there both major parties chose to ignore them. Simply stupid behaviour by Adern and the other leaders which then led to the riots.
I did a Parliamentary tour in October. Our guide discussed the protest - all people within the building were utterly terrified. They sealed off the old part of the building with the new because the old part was considered not able to be secured. This threat was much bigger than a normal protest. I wasn't there, but the guide was, he was an older man, had lived a varied life, and he sounded sad reflecting on that time, and was genuinely scared for people's lives within that those buildings at that time That isn't ok.
Great article, Bernard. She's been one of two PMs during my lifetime that I've respected the most - David Lange being my second-equal. Particular kudos for becoming a new parent while in office as well. Not sure we've had any other PMs who had a new baby at home while holding office. JFK did in the US, but can't think of any other heads of state (aside from the Queen, of course - and that aspect of her reign also always blew me away).
Mega thanks to Jacinda, she has been a PM we were able to be very proud of on the world stage.
See below. I give her some brownie points because of the rabble she’s been leading and the multiple crises. But I am far from effusive in my praise - while the incompetence of her team has to take much of the blame, as leader she’s been a key part of that team.
Lange? Certainly on the anti-nuclear stuff. Much less so on the neoliberal reform. Needed significant reform but he led a government that went way too far.
I think you'll find he took a much needed cuppa.
She was a young female leader. Mysogeny is an over used term however some of the critisicism of her here is close to the bone.
I think she lost her way in the second term, exposed by her Cabinet. I also can't forgive her for shutting our borders for so long. But on the whole she represented us well, you can be damn sure our next leader is going to be completely invisible on the world stage.
But on the whole she represented us well, you can be damn sure our next leader is going to be completely invisible on the world stage.
Maybe that's a good thing. A leader focused on improving the lot of constituents as opposed to being a celebrity full of soundbites and cliches..
Is it the role of PM to be on late night US talk shows?
Dunno, ask Key.
Thanks for reminding me. Start at 3:45 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UDAnWeG3I4
Or view the entire video if you enjoy a cringe
And the use of the word Misandry is an underused term, especially for many that call others Misoginistic.
If by being invisible on the world stage means that they are paying more attention to what is happening in NZ, and then fixing stuff here, then that is a good thing. Jacinda spent far too much time promoting herself overseas, achieving nothing for NZ, and letting the country go to rot beneath her feet while she had her head in the clouds.
Why is a) Hiding the fact that you're pregnant when going into an election and b) Having a sprog when you're the PM and have like 6 nannies anything to be proud of?
Why is having a baby as PM any bigger deal that others that have a job and baby?
She says she is stepping away in part to spend more time with her daughter.
How many other people would like to do that today, quit their job to spend more time with their children but can't afford to many due to policies implemented by Govt. That financially forces people to have to work.
There would hardly be a better paid position and support to havng a child at work than being a politician.
It can actually be quite difficult being pregnant and working, breast feeding and working, being a Mum and working. I'm sure your understand having done it yourself Dale.
So you are saying that given the choice of two paths when having a child, you will take the most difficult?
What was more difficult about the choices she made than other parents, maybe yourself included, had to make about having a baby and working?
Why not? Maybe decisions are not based on avoiding difficulty for those of us with a bit of grit. Maybe, having never lived a previous life, we don't know how difficult things will become. Maybe throwing in school hols adds a complexity you haven't had to deal with before. You didn't answer my question BTW. Yes, I've done it, not politics though. Ugh. Have you?
I would give her government a 2 out of 10, and her a 6. I give her a 6 because I think she has been remarkable in some ways given the incompetence of her government. Leading a bunch of total muppets.
Meanwhile the muppets wait in the wings to take over. You know when they're recycling Collins and they elected a violent bully and then looked the other way something is wrong.
Yep I don’t think the calibre of National’s A Team (lol) is any better. In fact, it’s potentially worse, and that’s saying something.
Chris Trotter laid out what she needed to do to get re-elected, or refind the "broad sunlit plains". She knew she could never convince a.... section of caucus, and you cannot lead from the opposition benches. Wise move to move on. Labour is toast for two terms, thats a long time for politically active people to sit waiting. More will leave, many on Oct 14th.
Excellent, balanced piece Bernard. Totally agree.
As my very wise wife just said to me, she had an awful run of crisis’s to deal with, I think that context is important when considering her overall performance and legacy.
Yes, the shootings and a global pandemic were not BAU. I think that looking at the full picture with that context is important too. I guess you could argue the GFC/Christchurch earthquakes were similar, although you would hope that NZ is kind of equipped for earthquakes, given the geology of our country.
I'm feeling quite out of place with the comments about this resignation on this website. Am I the only one who doesn't have strong likes/dislikes for people I've never met? Is there really a political party/MP/PM who is all things to all people? Tough gig to be that. Swing voter here so please don't read anything about political affiliation in this comment. I'm just astounded at the intensity of the reaction. Did the same thing happen when John Key resigned? That's a genuine question. I am far too old to feel this naive.
Yes the left hated John remember this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDscbVWRBCw especially as he grew up in a state house..... no one likes bankers. The thing about politics, is its like boxing.... you cannot expect not to get hit.
No Jacinda gets way more vitriol because she is a woman, sadly. And also because her party has a large Maori contingent she has to deal with the racists.
Nope do not agree. The vitriol directed at Key was significant. Particularly noticable online. They were rabid against him.
The old ‘racist’ excuse. Hell I’m a racist just ask Te Kooti but I had massive respect for Pita Sharples and thought Turiana had some great initiatives eg smokefree NZ. But Mahuta, Jackson and Rawiri are dangerous clowns. I had a similar level of bitterness towards Trevor Mallard and he is like me, a balding older white male. Nothing to do with race, it is about policy.
Strongly disagree.
She has been a media darling from the start. I am unaware of any evidence of sexism directed toward her.
To be fair it was post GFC and there were many reasons not to like bankers. Did people mention his sex or his teeth or his children?
His accent got a bit of mockery.
Ah, I remember now. Yes it did. Didn't like that either.
How many rumors were there about Bronagh sleeping around or wearing ankle bracelets? Did people dig up dirt on a toddler? No, John Key got made fun of for pulling pony tails, Max for being an Instagram rockstar, the daughter for pink hair once?
I think National party ethos fosters arrogance from its supporters, meanwhile Labour is more kind/love. Insecure people jump on board the National supporter's ego bus, so they can shit on anything, or anyone, remotely seen as Labour to compensate for unchecked issues they have in their lives.
not a banker, a currency trader, making money buying and selling money...rich equivalent of a dole bludger...
its real easy being a trader and owning homes in expensive suburbs... you should try it one day.......
I voted Labour most of the last 50 years (2 exceptions decades ago) & worked hard to end Keys National party reign due to their complacent hubris, wilfully ignoring the poor and corrupt practices (eg Nick Smith's "wadeable waterways").
I was delighted with Jacindas promise & performance until early 2021 (mostly under Winstons "handbrake") despite the demonstrated failures in implementing major policies. However then it became obvious that her wilful disregard of fundamental democratic principles evidenced by He Puapua & her deliberate implementation of a co government agenda she had no mandate for made her totally unfit for NZ leadership & government.
Because all the rest of the economic & social noise will eventually pass into history however the democratic principles that NZdrs of all ethnicities have fought & died for over the last century are the character & spirit of our country.
It's full of grumpy old men who can't handle a younger woman been in charge. And even worst,one of those younger woman is Maori.
There are a lot of people who immediately & simplistically respond to any level of disagreement and criticism with claims of misogyny and racism.
Because it's easier than offering any constructive logical response, assuming they even have one.
Remember that most of us have partners, mothers, sisters and daughters.
You commented about He puapua. It was started by the Key government signing on to the UN declaration of indigenous rights. Even he saw something needs to be done. So how do you suggest the Crown fulfill their end of the treaty bargain? Dazzle me with your knowledge of NZ history and the treaty. I await you informed opinion.
As you probably know, National explicitly stated that UNDRIP was non binding and there would be no Maori veto.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/national-govt-support-un-rights-dec…
There are no Principles Partnerships or co government mentioned in the ToW, despite the last 50 years of historical revisionism. Everyone has identical "rights & privileges of British subjects".
As regards ToW history, I could say no better than Sir Apirana Ngata a century ago:
https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-NgaTrea-t1-g1-t1.html
"...the Treaty of Waitangi created Parliament to make laws. The Treaty has given us the Maori Land Court with all its activities. The Treaty confirmed Government purchases of lands which is still being done and it also confirmed past confiscations. The Treaty sanctioned the levying of rates and taxes on Maori lands, it made the one law for the Maori and the Pakeha. If you think these things are wrong and bad then blame our ancestors who gave away their rights in the days when they were powerful."
Well said and quoted. I often use reference to AN in debates around TOW.
The whole concept of co-governance with the Crown under Queen Victoria would be an anathema. Zero precedent in other scenarios from prior to that time to well after.
Playing devil's advocate here. Every misogynist has a mother. Otherwise they wouldn't be here. Statistically 50% will have sisters and daughters. 100% of heterosexual men will have interest or relationships with women. That is not a disqualifier from being misogynistic.
Remember there were people sending messages threatening to rape JA's daughter, and her. I know that isn't common and it is the extreme end of a spectrum, but this happened. That is utterly, utterly unacceptable. You are right that arguing those claims can be misused, but it is wrong to say that is not a problem. We know, historically, that those 'techniques' have been used in war ... we must be careful to not over exaggerate but also not to understate these very real, pubically declared (under pseudonym) threats. This is why I asked my question. There seems to be a lot of emotional investment in this.
Sadly there’s a lot of subtle and not so subtle misogyny on display in the comments on this website.
It might be simple , but unfortunately it s true. Read some of the international viewpoints. Doesn't make NZ look good , though many other countries have similar problems. Trump emboldened many , and generally lowered the tone worldwide.
What does that make those "grumpy old men" who voted in Labour in the last election?
I'm young myself, many I talk to now are either ambivalent towards her or now loathe. A not small amount have switched to National ACT or if they're on the left, Greens or TOP, unlike 2020 and 2017.
Identity politics of all forms is a scourge.
Really? Sounds like a quote from a cult. It has nothing to do with race or sex! That's such a tiring response. Crime has gone up, house price sky rocketed
Our farmers were demonized (which is the back bone of our country), school are now learning snapshots of history causing a biased view and there was riot for goodness sake. You think they were all crazy? NZ is more divided than ever and not to mention it's own citizens were locked out.
Once again no one cares about sex or race. What we care about is uniting New Zealanders and leading the country! The Labour party definitely didn't do that. However majority who don't like Jacinda leadership do NOT wish her harm or to be hounded in any form. All we want is NZ to have a leader that unite the people with a common purpose. No matter the race, sex or background.
What a leader needs to do bring back the value of manners, self responsibility, stop treating our elders like villains (it's disgusting and cowardly) and a big one respect is earnt not given. Stop with the tribalism and identity politics. Then we might go forward as a nation. This is the old Kamatua teaching as well as the old European New Zealanders. God I miss them.
John Key left when his popularity was riding high ... he didn't polarise the nation ... the worst thing he did was to bore us to sleep ...
. . Jacinda's popularity has crashed from 58 % approval in 2020 to 29 % now ... Labour is behind the Gnats in the polls ...
"he didnt polarise the nation"?? he ensured that rich people got richer and the rest stayed poor and silent...this unfortunate government made the mistake of giving people a voice...which of course backfired by giving the misinformed under-educated a voice they used to try to wag the dog...national will make sure the underclasses stay silent by pretending trickle down works and ignoring them...after Bolger, English, Clark, Lange Shipley and the other less memorable it was nice for the first time in my life to vote FOR someone rather than just voting someone out...I think I ll be the only male boomer property owner voting for Chloe...
Under Ardern the divide between the rich & the poor has widened too .... child poverty up ... more people sleeping rough ....
... very nice person .... ideologically driven ... leading a party of mostly incompetents ....
Difference is it actually gets talked about and measured. Not swept under the rug.
He didn't do much of anything. Which is I guess is how people like it. Oh, except enrich the party backers. I seem to remember at lot of crony capitalism.
So HW2 now that Nats are a shoe in, interest deductability will be removed etc..... any falls in property from today must be.... REAL FALLs be afraid, be very afraid where this leads.....
Whilst it is of little value it is interesting to note that all major nations have the same issues with leadership.. trump, sunak, macron...
In nz national are in a position that whenever they launched policies in opposition those policies were immediate stolen by labour, leaving national without a point of difference. So they decided instead to have only policies that labour could or would not steal (pro landlord, cancel 3 waters etc..). Leaving us with one government we cant vote in again (labour) and another that has only extreme views that appeal to the few and are unhealthy.
A mess.
Come on. They have no ideas apart from the same neoliberal rubbish they always serve. What's the definition of insanity...
Financial changes take 18 months to become effective and results appear so interest rate rises and inflationery increases will appear just pre election and therafter so we may already be in the start of recession.
Good riddance to one of the most incompetent, divisive, racist, addicted to wasteful spending Governments in modern NZ history. Counting the days until we get finally rid of this bunch of clowns on October 14th.
Worst government ever .... if only we could get rid of Mr Orr at the RBNZ too ...
Luxon will kick Orr down the road. Will probably take a large golden handshake but this guy has cost us Billions so it will be loose change.
Depends on your point of view. I found the government of Ruthunasia pretty bad.
Yes agree. Bad in very different ways.
Thank you, Bernard, for a well written article.
Just a query. You write " ...biggest crisis moments in Aotearoa's modern history. " but later "...increase the emigration of young New Zealanders..."
Is there no word to describe someone living in or from Aotearoa?
Aotearoian? Aotearoite?
Kiwi.
Nice try.
Zealandian ...
Left leaning tendencies are clearly showing Bernard. In your Kaka publication you continually highlight your stated aims of reducing child poverty and housing affordability. On these fronts alone Ardern is an epic failure. Mix in some racial divide courtesy of ‘co-governance’ and crime through the roof and her legacy will be one of embarrassment that we have to now try and repair.
All cause mortality up 10% since she took office, I'd say that is a damning statistic and an apalling public health outcome. The worst any time by any leader in European times.
That’s a ridiculous and patently unfair comment.
Major population health issues have been brewing over decades.
Show me any instance where Jacinda stated it might be a good idea to lose weight.
Oh for goodness sake - ageing population. Full stop. And health is my area. Jacinda is not responsible for the world's aging population. Get a grip. And as I say repeatedly, healthcare is in the state it is in because of 30 years of decisions, the pandemic being the cherry on top.
Exactly…………….
Not politically possible to tell high BMI races to loose weight scarfie.....
and after every lockdown KFC
that all said, most in NZ of all races have had covid and there are still plenty of fat farkers walking around. I do not think it is or ever was that deadly.
So true. Although the small number of people I know who have had "long covid" all share one thing in common - obesity. So they will be clogging up the healthcare system for some time and sponging off the sickness benefit for even longer.
Well I care for many people with normal BMI's with long covid. So there you are. Obesity, just like severe Covid, is not associated with long COVID.
Bernard, Labour's failure with housing was not because of tax, but because they have no clue about land use policy.
Under their leadership house prices became more unaffordable directly due to their policies that they said would make them more affordable.
And the graciousness that people show towards her and the party she represents will directly proportional to any benefit or harm they received from the policies she represented.
One of the main Labour policies was to increase the divisions within NZ and thus peoples thoughts are pushed away rather than together.
She certainly does not deserve the enmity of those who protested against her last year outside Parliament.
No Bernard.
She was a petty tyrant that forced many of those people out of their livelihoods with her lockdowns and with her unethical and immoral mandates. She illegally locked New Zealand citizens out of their own country.
Pull your head out and have a long hard think about the things that she has done to deserve those people feeling enmity towards her.
Everyone got given notice to come home. Seemed pretty obvious global travel was going to be coozed for years.
Our lives were always going to be upended, so I can't feel as personally aggrieved and put out as you by Cindy, so presumably there will be others also that don't share your level of vitriol.
This discussion thread is about having a level of awareness about why the people were down there protesting.
It wasn't about me and it wasn't an invitation for your moronic speculation on my personal "level of vitriol".
You didn’t attend 2 virtual funerals or have an acquaintance in quarantine hoping to see a dying relative before they passed? Go rot Ardern.
That's not true, people overseas were told to stay in place if the were able too. It was not that easy for Kiwis, PR to up and leave the countries they were located. I would assume you didn't experience being locked out? It's a joke to the grounded Kiwis about the same old comments "why didn't you just get on the plane?" It's been explained over and over again. Stay in place advice, full flights, loosing house, loss of jobs, children schooling, no where to live etc.
I quite like your commentary usually Painter but this one is a shocker. You clearly have no idea and/or empathy of the awful trauma thousands of kiwis went through because of border closures combined with a horrendously poor MIQ set up. As you have no idea/empathy on this O suggest you shut the cake hole and comment on things you can contribute to.
unethical and immoral mandates
In the case of police and army staff, illegal mandates. That was the decision passed down from the high court back in February last year.
Those found guilty of violating our Bill of Rights, however, got off lighter than a teenage ram-raider.
"petty tyrant" is a brain dead thing to say, she took advice from the most educated people, not facebook, and made not one decision without that advice...sure the buck stops with her but tyranny is a word reserved for Trump, Putin, Mussolini et al...mind your manners
I was surprised that no one with an expert knowledge of constitutional matters challenged the government on the lockdowns of Auckland & Northland ... and the blocking of overseas citizens from returning home ...
... a pregnant Charlotte Bellis got better care from the Taliban in Afghanistan than she got from Ardern's government ... that sucks ...
... a pregnant Charlotte Bellis got better care from the Taliban in Afghanistan than she got from Ardern's government ... that sucks ...
Afghans who worked for the NZ military got shafted badly under her watch.
... yes , our government were a disgrace , the way those people were abandoned to their fate ...
It was the MIQ system mess preventing people coming back and lock downs that ended my positive vibe about this government (and neither affected me directly). Bye Ms Ardern, a good job in many respects, and a shocker in some. All the best for the future.
October is still a long way off, and being freed of any undertakings that Ardern gave to 'not-do-this' or 'do-that' a 'new' Labour Government with a unique attribute - a majority in an MMP environment - can now instigate all sorts of idealogical reforms into the face of possible election defeat, and let the next Governors deal with it.
"No Capital Gains Tax!" etc. The undertaking is gone with Ardern now. So bring one in on the 8th February. From what I read, the election is lost anyway, so there is nothing to lose.
It's ridiculous that we don't have a capital gains tax.
No , its smart that we dont have a CGT ... it's ridiculous we dont have a land tax ...
Should be a poll tax.
Would a CGT bank capital losses for taxpayers equally ? Such as the 20-25% housing loss over the last year
You would get to carry losses forward to be used when you make capital gains in the future. Australia has a system that has worked since 1985 - we should just copy theirs and be done with it. I only formed this view after living in Australia and seeing how well it works there. They have lower GST and a tax free income threshold which we could have here.
no there are not enough sitting days left to make major change
Would crack me up if Megan Woods became PM.
. . and , Michael Wood as her deputy ... would Woods Wood see the woods from the trees ...
Hahaha
"The Woodies"
Woke (pun) up to this brilliant news that she has resigned, so happy for NZ! but she and her party has already created so much damage with their own agendas, I hope it can in future all be repaired.
Is it to late to ask where are the 100,000 Kiwibuild houses?
‘We’ve reset the target to accomodate the labour shortage and spiralling costs of materials.’
‘ It was an aspirational goal. Never an achievable one.’
JA during her couch session with Aunty Helen, Jan 19th 2023
It should have really begun with trades training. The TTAF was a good initiative, although I may be bias because it's helped fund 60% of my Diploma in Construction w/QS study part time.
It does not take a neuro surgeon to know that for Kiwibuild to be successful, you need additional resources. The building sector at the time did not have 10k qualified tradespeople sitting around with nothing to do. Materials can be scaled up, but it takes time to train a builder.
Climacteric.
Something dont make sense I heard through my employment advisor in Christchurch that the rumors around parliment in December Cindy was going to resign early Jan
This is now true
Next rumour heard that Willis will take Luxon maybe before or after election
NZ needed a change from National. They got Labour. Unfortunately Labour were re-elected on their own. Labour failed dismally because they thought they knew better. The should have planted their seeds ONLY. But they created a bipartisan country. We have seriously declining education. We lack professionalism. We are tribal.
But NEVER EVER EVER should we behave like animals towards the woman who led us. She has been vilified. Her family has been bullied.
Some of the behaviour of sone of general public has been shameful in how they have hounded the personal side of a thankless task.
However, thank-goodness she has stepped down! A country whose economy and mental health is on the rocks! Time for healing.
To Jacinda, image is everything. There was no way she was going to allow herself to become a "loser". She exits with never having to take responsibility for everything that she failed to deliver under her leadership. In just about every aspect of life, NZ is worse off now than in 2017 when she took over. She leaves behind an economically failing country and people who are now divided on multiple levels (politics, race, vaccination).
The only reason she was well thought of after the terrorist attack was because she was female and could don a hijab and go around hugging everyone for the benefit of the cameras - something that a male PM could never have done.
She will be off on the million dollar speaking tours, until a cosy position on the UN opens up. All 100% predictable for anyone who saw the real Jacinda through the stagecraft.
In the meantime millions of muslim women hate the hijab. It keeps them in their place. Second class citizens. At the moment she came out in the scarf, I realized she really is stupid. Muslim women are being murdered for not wearing it.
Empathy involves working to understand the points of view that you may disagree with.
Kindness towards only to those with whom you agree is not the hallmark of an empathetic leader.
I intensely dislike her for her strategy of creating an "us" and "them" about any issue and working to turn the public against the "them". It was never about policy, it was about victims and perpetrators, many of whom had no idea they were about to be steamrolled and that public opinion had been swayed against them.
Vaccine hesitant? Them. Rental owner? Them. Drive a ute? Them. Farmer? Them.
She used her popularity to create division and will not be missed.
Not to mention the gaslighting. Criminals are now "victims" and sending them to jail is now "racist". Tough luck to the rest of us who have to put up being burgled, mugged, assaulted, raped, and home invaded.
there has always been us and them, except under Labour the richie riches got a taste of being looked at critically for profiteering at the expense of others worse off...and the division created was largely between people with half a brain and those facebooky conspirators unwilling to watch out for others wellbeing...Bernards so on the money, she failed to be true to Labours mandate to tax the wealthy, and create opportunity for the bottom to catch up...
'She doesnt deserve the enmity of those that protested against her'
Really? Ms Ardern and her government and all the clowns in parliament agreed to force people into a medical experiment. Bernard I read the medsafe data from Pfizer. The data they relied on. It said there was no trials for pregnant women. They literally had no idea what would happen. Yet they said it was safe and effective. You cant lie like that and expect no push back. Its black and white. As much as most people really dont want to admit our government, our doctors, our scientists lied. They did. They lied. It doesnt matter if they all thought it was to save the world. It was wrong. She was wrong. It was 95% effective, the nonvaxed were the real enemy, etc etc. It was all lies.
I wont ever forget or forgive, and I will never ever believe a word from a politician again.
Thankfully my daughter never had the jab, she delivered a beautiful healthy baby. She wasnt part of the pfizer experiment. There was no problem with covid. And they still havn't had covid.
It was all there for anybody to read. In early June 2021. The Pfizer documents. On the New Zealand Medsafe website. It was easy to understand. It was clear. Concise. There are no excuses. For anyone. Least of all a journalist.
that was the reason why many mid wives would not endorse vax. https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/covid-19-vaccine/news/20210222/pfizer-st…
Financially conservative or frustrated?
I'd plump for the later.....the realisation that you have less ability to influence the direction than the position promised must be a difficult realisation....politicians lost that ability decades ago.
Having a selfless figurehead beats the hell out of the selfish alternative however.
All sounds a bit like looking back at Obama’s Presidency, high hopes for positive change but not much achieved.
Yes I remember that, black people were literally crying with joy when he got elected.
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