2014 New Zealand general election thread

[Kieran McConville]

Well that sounds like a counter-intuitive election outcome. Let's cut the crap and say it sounds like us a year ago. Except they're returning the government.

Do workers at Maccas (in Australia) really earn more than professionals in New Zealand? Say I want to become a doctor in New Zealand.

[Axver]

Originally Posted by Kieran McConville

Well that sounds like a counter-intuitive election outcome. Let's cut the crap and say it sounds like us a year ago. Except they're returning the government.

That's a decent analogy. What's left me particularly shocked is that National's vote has gone up (only marginally, but still enough to gain a couple of extra list seats). I would try to explain that away by suggesting it was soft Conservative voters defecting to National after a minor scandal two days out from the election - Colin Craig's press secretary quit, accusing him of being manipulative, and he had no time to go into damage control - but the Conservative vote stayed stable around what polls predicted, and New Zealand First's vote surged.

I was ready for Key to retain in power with support from New Zealand First. I had not even entertained the possibility that their vote would improve after all that has transpired. That's what's left me reeling. It is especially depressing to see all the scandals dismissed as simply "noise". Nicky Hager and Glenn Greenwald have both raised very serious issues that need a lot more discussion, and to suggest it was a distraction or an irrelevancy is either 1. insulting or 2. says there is something very rotten - or just very lazy and disengaged - in New Zealand democracy.

Do workers at Maccas (in Australia) really earn more than professionals in New Zealand? Say I want to become a doctor in New Zealand.

That was a slight exaggeration. However, I know baristas here who earn more than friends in New Zealand with jobs in the public service. The minimum wage in New Zealand is roughly $5 lower than it is here, and that's without taking the exchange rate into account. If I took an academic job in New Zealand I would probably earn at least 30% less than I would in an equivalent position in Australia. My current income is below average in Australia; in New Zealand I would be comfortably above average. It's not surprising that so many Kiwis come here, even though they are now essentially ineligible for citizenship (thank god I came when I did); I know a few couples who've come here, worked for a few years on a decent but not remarkable Aussie wage, saved it, then gone back to New Zealand and now live pretty comfortably.

[Kieran McConville]

What was it some people used to say at the height of the Bush era? Democracy is a mile wide and an inch deep.

It really does require an engaged citizenry.

[MadForIt]

I voted National
Cant stand Cunliffe!
Russel Norman is a idiot as well from the eco-warrior Greens.

Dirty Politics was a joke. If National did everything that's claimed in that book, fair play, very clever of them.

Kim Dot Com needs to be turfed out. His moment of truth with his criminal mates and that joker Greenwald was a load of nonsense. Nothing wrong with a bit of surveillance. Govts should be allowed to keep a few secrets here and there.

My preference was to vote NZ First but i stuck with National in case Winston teamed up with Labour.

[Axver]

I'm going to take that as satire of an idiot National voter.

[MadForIt]

All politicians are the same. I'm sure Labour would get involved in dirty shenanigans if they had the chance

NZ doesnt need a bunch of crazy lefties with silly living wages. Bring on the fracking and stable govt for 3 years. Clearly NZ doesnt care about Dirty Politics. Hager's audience is left wing loonies, who hate John Key anyway so his book was bound to make no difference. As for Dot Com, Snowden and Assange. They all need to be locked up.

[Vlad n U 2]

Good to know that MFI is a Tory. Noel would be so proud.

[MadForIt]

I'm no Tory. I have an equal dislike for lefties and posh people. In fact i dislike most people.

I'm not rich. I work for every penny and others should to.

Labour are in complete disarray here. If it was David Shearer, Grant Robertson, Hipkins or Jacinda Ardern i may have voted for them. But i dont believe in raising the minimum wage or having a living wage so thats what made be vote for JK. Winston is a legend though. Shame he is so old.