Green's uncosted transport policy

Well so you may think, the Greens have launched a transport plan for Auckland without a single cost for construction, let alone any (undoubted) subsidies for ongoing operations. Like a bunch of 13 year olds doing a project.

So the tooth fairy might fund it, because the Greens don’t give a damn about costs. Benefits? No. The Greens haven’t evaluated the proposal, you don’t get to see how many minutes travel time you might save, how much emissions will reduce, even how much it would cost to ride this gold plated transport system. I don't mean exact economic appraisal, but some ballpark so that it can be rebutted.

No – the Greens just say that you’ll get less congestion, cleaner air, “healthier lifestyles” (you’ll walk more) and a rather sinister “more room on the roads for essential travel” (they know when your travel is essential and when it is trivial – the petty fascists that they are).

How can they possibly be taken seriously on this? Like I’ve said time and time again, it is religious worshipping of rail. However they’ve outdone themselves this time. Some blatant mistakes:
- Funding will shift from ratepayers to government, reducing the burden on ratepayers (but no mention of taxpayers);
- The Waterview connection of SH20 is mentioned for scrapping, except their own map indicates a motorway on that route – for buses. What’s that about?;
- “BRT (bus rapid transit) is much faster and cheaper to build than rail” they say, which begs the question, why are you obsessed with rail?
- Funding that goes to Transit New Zealand for motorways would go to ARTA they say, except Transit New Zealand was abolished by legislation the Greens supported. Are motorways to not be maintained??

Don’t forget, since 1999 the Greens have worked closely with Labour on transport policy. You might think that since transport matters to the Greens they may bother costing and evaluating their policies. No. Like I’ve said before, it’s the Green religion – railways good, cars and trucks bad, don’t ask any questions, just write out the cheque. I mean cheques, because by no stretch of the imagine will people riding this flash new public transport system be paying the full costs of operating it.

Greens like National's super theft policy

When the Greens say "it’s nice to see that National does have some good ideas. Investing 40 percent of the Super fund in New Zealand is a positive way to support New Zealand businesses and jobs, as well as protect and diversify New Zealand’s economy."

The most diehard National supporter must surely start being suspicious.

This from people who launch a grand transport policy for Auckland, without any costs attached to it, (except they want to divert $1.9 billion from a road project, but no indication that this is enough), it ought to make you wonder when economic illiterates support you.

Or was this National's grand plan to divert votes to ACT?

NZ Superannuation Fund fraud

Think of a superannuation scheme or pension fund that you join - or rather, are forced to join.

Your contribution to the fund varies according to your income. The more you earn the more you pay.

What you receive from the fund depends on one thing: How long you live.

If you don't reach age 65, you'll get nothing, your inheritance will get nothing, in fact your contributions will just have gone to someone else.

If you do reach 65, you'll get - whatever the government thinks everyone who reaches that age will get. If you spent your life on welfare or low income jobs paying next to no tax you'll get the same as a successful entrepreneur who has spent many years on the top marginal tax rate.

You wouldn't choose such a fund now would you?

So why do you vote for political parties that set it up, want to maintain it and even want to use it to play political games as if it is a sovereign wealth fund it can throw at "investments" it makes.

Greens want to deflate house prices more

Yes, the Greens think the time is right to pillage more of your children's taxes (it's called borrowing) to build more state houses. Even though property prices have been heading downwards, increasing the affordability of buying a home, the Greens remain outside the planet where price is a factor demand and supply, and think that forcing people to pay for more housing is a good thing.

So the Greens pillage your money and encourage your house price to drop too. Of course they want it in places where there is "excellent public transport" - ignoring whether that public transport actually would take you where you want to go, because a railway station is like a church to them.

Great stuff, check out the loopy economics. Easier to afford a home (cheaper), easier to move around without a car (cheaper) AND you are forced to pay for it whether you own a home, use public transport already or not.

Hopefully voters will simply say - f-off and leave my money alone in a recession you thieving socialists!

Earth to Jeanette Fitzsimons

Jeanette. You're in the Herald complaining about why motorways get fully funded but railways don't. There is a reason why the Government foots the full cost of motorways.

The revenue for it comes from - road users. The people using the roads pay for the roads (well the state highways anyway). Understand the concept? Fuel tax and road user charges are fully dedicated to the National Land Transport Fund, which funds motorways. Most people would see that as being fair, if a bit blunt.

Let's look at your beloved "urgent public transport improvements", you want the whole Auckland rail network electrified and a NZ$1 billion-plus (yep note the plus, I'm guessing half a billion more) tunnel for a two-way rail loop through central Auckland to the western line at Mt Eden. Where do you want the revenue to come from to pay for that? The people who will use the trains? No. In fact at best they will pay perhaps a half of the operating costs of the trains (if they can match Wellington).

You want ROAD USERS to pay for your rail schemes, even though only 7% of all trips in Auckland are by public transport, and of those a majority are by bus and ferry.

Not only that you want road users to pay to subsidise the operation of the rail scheme too. However you begrudge road users expecting their motoring taxes being spent on the roads they actually use?

Yes I know you'll argue that the road users benefit because someone has decided to ride a train, instead of drive. Well of course that person riding the train has apparently benefited more, because the road user is subsidising their travel. Why should that person not pay the costs of their travel?

Jeanette, don't you realise the reason the roads are congested is because capacity is built according to politically determined funding criteria, and roads are charged the same no matter wherever and whenever you drive, unlike how airlines, hotels, phone calls and other services are charged. Don't you realise your beloved Soviet style management of highways is the problem, not the lack of a goldplated public transport system?

So go on Jeanette - tell motorists that the Greens believe that the majority of fuel taxes and road user charges they pay should be used to pay for transport modes they don't use. Tell them how many minutes they'll save in trips, how much fuel they'll save from this approach - show you've done the research.

Oh, it's just a "belief" isn't it. Yes, that damned religion of yours.

National policy "akin to communism"

So says a man who should know – Dr Michael Cullen according to Stuff.

He was commenting on the absurd policy announcement by John Key that National would direct the New Zealand Superannuation Fund – the only superannuation fund in the country that pays out the same regardless of how much or little you contribute to it – to invest 40% of its funds in New Zealand companies.

Key’s announcement is completely banal. It risks not only reducing the returns for the fund, but also concentrating too much risk in New Zealand investments. Furthermore, he talks about it investing in “infrastructure bonds”, which means simply, funding government borrowing. You don’t need infrastructure bonds if you let the private sector build, operate and charge users for infrastructure – such as how the country’s two mobile phone networks have been financed and built, and how the internet has been developed, how Auckland and Wellington airports have been developed. No – John Key is in Think Big land.

Dr Cullen is right – regardless of the merit of the NZ Superannuation Fund – not letting the fund managers invest where they see fit will devalue the fund. Furthermore, to suggest that it should finance “Think Big” style central planning government infrastructure projects on telecommunications, water, roads or whatever, is further reducing the likely return (or increasing government borrowing costs, you can’t have both), as well as supplanting private sector investment (increasingly used overseas) with compulsory taxpayer funding.

Of course, renationalising an airline and a railway are also “forms of communism”, so Dr Cullen is very experienced in what he is talking about.

The right answer is to do what, ironically, Winston Peters once advocated. Divide the NZ Superannuation Fund into individual accounts, and hand them to taxpayers to keep, invest in or sell. The consequence is that you are responsible for all or part of your retirement income (with some pro rata adjustment for those currently retired or relatively close to retirement).

Imagine - politicians for individual responsibility.

Greens take from the wise to pay for the foolish

The Greens are all in a funk about the Nats proposing to drop Labour’s “subsidise the wasteful” policy of paying for homeowners to insulate their own property. Their approach to this issue speaks volumes about what it thinks about incentives, rewards and penalties. Stuff reports on Jeanette Fitzsimons moaning about how she thinks it is a huge return on investment - which of course makes you wonder why people wont do it themselves.

Now having said that I support insulating state houses, as it increases their value for a future sale, but that isn't going to happen soon.

If you own your home, you either bought one with insulation or had it installed yourself, in either case you paid for it – with your own money. It’s called private property, a concept the Green Party has remarkably little time for. Presumably you did it for all of the good reasons the Green Party outlines, it saves money on heating, reduces risks of dampness and the related health problems (and damage to other property). In short, it can make very good sense to have insulation. However this is where the Greens, freedom and responsibility separate.

Choosing not to have insulation is a valid choice. The Greens don’t think it is, so want to bribe those who choose not to install insulation. What they don’t get, because they believe the state is some sort of benevolent Santa, is that the money to pay for this bribe comes from those who did choose to install it (and those who didn’t).

It is NZ$1 billion, not a paltry sum, over NZ$650 per household (more when you strip out state and council housing), a fair contribution to paying for installing insulation. That money could be returned to those who have and have not got insulation, and they could choose if they prefer insulation or prefer new clothes, a holiday in Australia or to invest it. Choices the Greens would disapprove of, because nothing is as important as the religion of “reducing emissions”.

So the Greens want to penalise those who have made a “good” choice and reward those who made a “bad” choice. Why? Jeanette Fitzsimons gives this banal explanation “This will keep people in worthwhile work during the recession, reduce power bills, improve health, especially for children with asthma, and reduce our climate change emissions”

Worthwhile work!! Because the way YOU would have spent your money wouldn’t have been for worthwhile work, those shops, that business you own, the airline and hotel you may have bought a holiday from – that isn’t “worthwhile work”, no.

National has made the right move. Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to pay for those who don’t see value in insulating their properties anymore than they should be paying for new carpet, better heating, new hot water cylinders or curtains. The Greens should butt out of the decisions that property owners make about their own properties, and if they want to help people get insulation, give them their taxes back, instead of rewarding those who can’t be bothered paying for insulation themselves.

Their press release that the Nats plan to keep homes cold and damp speaks volumes of their statist centrally planned mindset. The message kiddies is simple, if you own a house YOU are responsible for whether it is cold and damp. If you depend on a politician to fix it then you are too stupid and irresponsible to own a home, and if your child's asthma is exacerbated by it, what kind of a parent are you? The sort who votes Green and Labour to get other people to tell you what to do and give you money to do it I suppose.

How should Maori Party voters vote?

Yes yes, they shouldn't, I know - they should vote Libertarianz, but seriously it’s not really me to help out those who I think are voting for statist collectivist racially based party, but the thing is that MMP does it for them, and Maori Party voters figured it out last time anyway. They have something supporters of virtually all other parties have – a party vote that is best NOT given to the party they support. Why?

The magic of the overhang. You see last election the Maori party won 4 electorate seats, but only won just over 2.1% of the party vote. Typically, a party is entitled to its share of the seats in Parliament according to the party vote, as long as the party wins either 5% or one electorate seat. Yes, I know most of you already knew that. However, the Maori Party won more electorate seats than it won proportionate to the party vote, which means an overhand. The Maori Party has one more seat than it would’ve got had it won one electorate seat and then just had its party vote counted.

So what does this mean? Well for starters the size of Parliament crept up by one, which meant that the number of seats for a majority crept up too.

More importantly it shows that the party votes for the Maori Party were as good as wasted – and indeed many Maori Party voters, probably unconsciously – reflected that, since in all seats won by the Maori Party, Labour won the party vote.

Maori Party voters got the best of both worlds, from their perspective. represented by a Maori Party MP and Labour list MPs.

What it means is that voting for the Maori party on the list is pretty much futile if you believe the Maori party will win more electorate seats than it is likely to get as a proportion of the party vote – which is highly likely.

For those of us who believe in less government it means, ironically, that we can either encourage those who vote for the Maori Party on the electorate vote to vote for a party that supports private property rights and less government (Libertarianz or ACT) or encourage them to, vote for the Maori Party (stopping Labour getting their vote. You see if the Maori Party wins many more party votes then the overhand disappears, there are less MPs in Parliament representing the Maori seat voters, which probably means less Labour MPs – a good thing from my perspective.

If National (or ACT or Libertarianz) were clever they would accept and welcome Maori Party supporters vote Maori party in their Maori electorates – but seek the party vote wholeheartedly. For whilst there may be an overhand, the party vote would be held by someone other than Labour.

Perverse? Yes, but that is what the electoral system allows. I once saw an ACT video pre-1996 proposing that National voters vote National in their electorates and ACT for the party vote, for the very same reason. Of course any major party actively pursuing this would be incentivising the other major party to split into Labour- electorate and Labour – party vote, parties, an absurdity, to create an enormous 65 seat overhang of constituencies.

So remember that this election, the Maori Party has every chance of winning more seats than its party vote would entitle it to do, which no doubt is what the Maori Party would want. The bigger question is whether the Maori Party listens to its supporters who will, undoubtedly, predominantly vote Labour on the party vote – or whether it will support National. The latter, surely, would be enormously risky for the Maori Party, but more importantly, if successful, such a partnership would be much much riskier for Labour.

Would Maori Party supporters dare risk a party vote for one other than Labour? Which political party has said it would repeal the Foreshore and Seabed Bill, and defend Maori private property rights? It begins with L - and it isn't Labour.

Labour list candidates 29 to 25, any better?

Continuing my lengthy series on Labour party candidates are list positions 29 to 25. Yes they are all a shoo in, but will any make it on the electorate vote? I'm guessing just one.

Kelvin Davis – Te Tai Tokerau – number 29: Photo, profile, no website (he's not this Kelvin Davis). Kelvin was a teacher and school principal. He states: “Maori will achieve greatness by becoming educated, by attaining influential and meaningful positions in society and business and assisting to make decisions and inform policy that will help us all become ‘great’. Maori need to be proactive, positive and inclusive.” Much true, although an element of “being great through government” isn’t good. He wants to “create the conditions where all Maori achieve beyond their potential. I am going to make a difference.” If only it was about encouragement of the cultural change needed to do it, but surely he holds some hope. You could do worse than elect this man.

However, he is up against Hone Harawira, a great statist and populist. Harawira won with 52.4% against Dover Samuels on 33.4% in 2005, a yawning gap. However Labour did get 49.3% of the party vote against the Maori Party on 31%. Kelvin sounds like a major step up from Hone Harawira, but his chances can’t be great. Prediction: Harawira will hold on comfortably, he has the image and profile to be secure.

Carol Beaumont – Maungakiekie – number 28: Photo, profile, no website (but the CTU has a profile on her -down the page). Carol says “I have always been involved in representative and advocacy roles seeking to make positive change.” Is she a unionist then? “ I am proud of the changes that we have benefited from under Labour but there is more change we all want and need. For all New Zealanders I want to work to strengthen our democracy”. Pablum for the proletariat, because the Electoral Finance Act has really strengthened democracy hasn’t it? This is Mark Gosche’s electorate, so his retirement will mean Carol will face a tougher race. He won in 2005 with 53.3% against National’s Paul Goldsmith on 31.6%, and party vote was very similar with Labour on 50.7% and National on 33.5%. National is putting up Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, who may appeal to this electorate with a relatively high Pacific Islander population, so the race may be more interesting than it first looks. However, a gap of over 20% is considerable and so it is likely Carol will get through. Prediction: Carol Beaumont will take Maungakiekie, but with a far narrower majority than Mark Gosche.

Charles Chauvel – Ohariu – number 27: Photo, profile, and no website link, but he does have a website. Charles is a list MP. He claims credit for doing this:
• “open a new park in Korokoro,
• lead the 2007 Carbon Challenge in the Ohariu Valley,
• support childcare centres and schools across the electorate,
• advocate for improved transport - from new tunnels on the Johnsonville line through to the improvements to SH2”

I can fairly say I did more for lowering the floors of tunnels on the Johnsonville line than Charles ever did, so there he is claiming credit for decisions that have virtually nothing to do with him. Charles does say on his website he is into more integration with Australia - Schengen agreement style - which can't be a bad thing.

Now the interesting thing is that this is about Peter Dunne, and so both Charles and Katrina Shanks of National (a list MP also) are battling to unseat. Dunne has a big majority in this seat, and if votes are to go from him they are unlikely to go to Chauvel as, after all, they are both in the same government. However, Dunne’s local presence is substantial, and despite all the best will in the world, he is likely to remain the local MP. Prediction: Dunne will hold on reasonably comfortably, but the swing to National will see Chauvel coming third behind Katrina Shanks.

Phil Twyford – North Shore – number 26: Profile and website, which has only a photo on it! “After living in the United States it was wonderful coming back to a New Zealand that is optimistic, confident, moving ahead on so many fronts, and sure of our place in the world. I think a lot of the credit for that goes to the Labour-led Government of Helen Clark. Labour’s prudent economic management has delivered economic growth that has allowed overdue investment in our infrastructure, established the superannuation fund that will give security to New Zealanders when they retire, and allowed significant new investments in health and education.”

Idiot. He thinks government is so important, he thinks that it hasn’t reaped the benefits of the previous reforms.

“The Shore offers a great quality of life and unquestionable beauty but it is feeling the strains of rapid growth and development.” Not any more it isn’t! Given Wayne Mapp took North Shore in 2005 with 59.6% of the vote against Phil Twyford with 33.3%, he hasn’t a hope in hell of winning. Even the party vote is a lost cause, with National getting 53.5% in 2005 against Labour’s 29.9% Prediction: Phil Twyford will become a list MP, but Wayne Mapp will keep North Shore with no threat.

Moana Mackey – East Coast – number 25: Profile and photo (looking a bit different). She’s a biochemist! Done the union thing too, but what a waste – a scientist telling others what to do. Now she’s currently a list MP. “Over the last three years I have made the East Coast electorate my number one priority, and I hope that my work securing funding for local projects, lobbying on local issues, and assisting hundreds of you personally through clinics proves that I get results and shows that I am the right person for the job.” She likes chasing pork for the electorate too. However, she hasn’t much chance. In 2005, Anne Tolley won the seat with 44.8% of the vote against her on 40.8%. National got 42.2% of the party vote against Labour’s 39%, so this is nearly a bell weather electorate. Moana hasn’t really got much a chance this time when the tide is turning against Labour. Prediction: Anne Tolley will remain MP, but Moana will be in on the list.

So there you have it people, more outstanding talent pretty much guaranteed to walk into Parliament - because one in three New Zealanders think the Labour Party is so good for them.

Labour rescues rich students from the horrors of reality

Yes, the poor bubbas, so needy are the students of the middle and upper income earners.

According to the NZ Herald, Helen Clark is looking to take NZ$210 million a year (which of course is one year, it will grow) of your taxes to pay for the daughters and sons of doctors, lawyers, accountants, real estate agents, senior bureaucrats, politicians to all have a “universal student allowance”. It is of course grand theft to benefit the most advantaged.

It isn’t about students from poor backgrounds, because they already get an allowance. Let’s make it clear it is a blatant election bribe aimed at middle to upper income likely National voters and their voting age children.

Clark bemoans the current income tested allowances “Most of these students would receive no allowance under the current rules and need to borrow… “ Borrow! Horrors! So they actually would have to think before they claim their 75% + taxpayer funded education as to whether it will enable them to earn more money? They might have to take a risk? It gets worse for the poor bubbas “…, receive help from their parents…” NOOO anything but that, anything but rely on mum and dad, no far better to keep taxes up and make them dependent on Auntie Helen – your new parent.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it gets worse, you may have heard that some students are, according to our great Comrade Leader Helen Clark, deciding to “… work part-time, to make ends meet.” Nooooooooo. How COULD they? How unreasonable to spend your life learning that you actually have to earn your way? How WILL they learn life as a bureaucrat when they have to spend time EARNING their money?

So, a great filthy fat election bribe, the piggies are in trough playing with your future earnings eager to bribe others with it.

I’ll ask students one simple question – why do you think it is moral to force other people, who don’t know you, who may thoroughly oppose what you are studying, who may have a mortgage, their own kids, their own businesses and their own needs, to pay for you to live whilst you study with the primary aim of living an above average standard of living?

Oh and need I say the National response? "We will indicate a more generous scheme but it won't be universal at this time" Just another "me too".

UPDATE: Libertarianz Education Spokesman and Hutt South Candidate Phil Howison is concerned that this bribe could encourage students to stay at university endlessly:

"this is a blatant attempt to buy votes. It is bribery. It is corrupt. It is also part of Labour's agenda to make every New Zealander dependent on the state - just as Welfare for Families put middle-class families on benefits, even the richest students will be given their Universal Student Bribe. Welfare dependency destroys motivation, independence and self-reliance. We should be getting people off welfare, not putting our best and brightest on it and simultaneously removing the incentive for them to ever leave university"

Greens campaign on irrational authoritarianism

The Greens launched their campaign last weekend, and unsurprisingly I am far from impressed. The Greens you see hold at the forefront a brand of environmentalism - the notion that nothing, absolutely nothing, could be more important than clean water, air and the natural environment. It is the notion that without that as a number one priority, everything else comes second - implied with that is the "what if you didn't think like us" impression that it is bleak.

The Greens, by using images of children, are playing with heart strings, it is a clever tactic that hides what they are really about.

The website says that it "takes advice from experts", ignoring that it listens to those who tell it what they want to hear - I've read enough banality from the Greens on transport to know that they don't let contrary evidence get in the way of their quasi religious like beliefs. Better for foreign ships to be empty plying our shores than to carry goods!

The Green website is insipidly deceptive. It paints a happy picture of people co-operatively getting on with each other - the words "ban" "require" "compel" "tax" "support" "fund", which all mean the thud of nanny state pushing people about - are absent. Sadly the Green vision, which could be achieved among themselves without politics, is big government statism. It is all about using state violence. It is authoritarianism, and blindly irrational - because most of what they believe, is about faith not fact.

Take this "The Green Party is working for a society that values caring, co-operation, nurturing, and sharing relationships between its people." That's nice, except it has a funny way of showing it. What's caring about state dominated and controlled education? What's caring about compulsory almost unlimited eligibility for social welfare payments funded by the grim hand of Inland Revenue which treats you guilty until you prove innocence? What's co-operative about wanting to ban, compel and regulate?

The Green Party"accords equal opportunity (and obligations) to people of all race, ages, and abilities; it does not value one sex above another" Equal opportunity - so the 80yo quadraplegic should have the same opportunity as the 20yo champion swimmer. The genius mathematician the same obligations as the armed robber. How do you get equal opportunity, without smashing down the chances of those with successful, wealthy, loving parents and throwing buckets of their cash at those with abusive negligent ones? Vacuous nonsense. The state should not discriminate, but that should be the end.

The Green Party "guarantees the provision to all of the basic human needs of food, shelter, health care, and education". Well give up your job, the Green Party guarantees all - from the Green Party money tree. Oh no, hold on, this isn't achieved through faith, or even "caring, co-operation, nurturing, and sharing relationships" it's achieved through the state - the state takes money from everyone else, by threat of force, to give people all those things listed by the Greens. It is a basic need, guaranteed - why bother working?

Russel Norman, Green co-leader, had some curious things to add with his interview with the NZ Herald.

He said the three key policies are:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions (this is simply a religious view, with absolutely no inkling that if New Zealand does nothing beyond pursue policies that don't interfere with energy efficiency, it will make a shred of difference);
- Reducing dependency on oil (by spending more money on alternatives, because outcomes are not as important as being anti-oil);
- Food safety (noticed how unsafe your food is now?).

None of these would be achieved without massive regulation and taxation. He also adds "clean water" later on, although again this isn't about private property rights and the tragedy of the commons, it is about regulation. The Greens aren't big on private property, probably because they want to control and regulate so much of it.

I've written much about the Greens the last few years. I welcome the times they actually do believe in what they call "civil liberties". They represent a more consistent voice on this than does National or ACT. I also welcome their more sane view on drugs, albeit it is tempered by the instinct to regulate, the Greens at least listen to those who say that criminalising drug users doesn't work. Sadly this has sometimes been combined with the implicit "it's cool to smoke dope" message some people got from presuming (fairly) that Nandor Tanczos smokes it. Many Green Party members have good intentions, and like bird, whales and nature - which I can understand.

However the Green Party isn't a party of science and reason - it is a party that too often resorts to hysterical scaremongering. You can see it when the word "nuclear" comes out, and more recently nonsense about cellphone transmitter towers and genetic engineering. This isn't applying science to the environment, it is applying populist hype -and you can't seriously engage on it. It is the same with food safety. New Zealand made and organic good, foreign made inorganic suspicious. If the Green Party did actually listen to science and wasn't driven by the armageddon like religion of ecological extremists I might give it some credence.

Beyond the irrationality is the hypocrisy. The Greens are the party that calls for bans, compulsion, regulation, taxes and subsidies more than any others. There is barely a corner of life that they don't want the state poking its finger in, even if it to throw other people's money at it. Whether it be television programming, food labelling, transport, education, parenting, housing, clothing, healthcare, entertainment, sport, the Greens have a policy or an approach that means the state should be involved. It is a party of authoritarians dressed up as a party of loving caring hippies.

It is an absolute travesty that the mainstream media in New Zealand has failed to point out the two biggest weaknesses of the Greens - their irrational rejection of evidence when it contradicts their quasi-religious view, and their authoritarianism. Jeanette Fitzsimons has gone through election after election without being asked "why do the Greens have the word "ban" more on their website than any other party?".

The prospect of a Labour-Green coalition government after the election should send cold shivers down the spines of all those who fear more tax and more regulation. Helen Clark wanted a coalition with the Greens in 2005, but the numbers wouldn't add up as the Maori Party wouldn't support Labour, and NZ First and United Future refused to deal with the Greens.

Funnily enough the Greens share one point with Libertarianz "we know we have succeeded when people no longer need us". Well go on New Zealand, show them you don't need them!

In that vein I am adding to my blog the "Don't Vote Greens" banner, it goes nicely with "Don't Vote Labour".

Labour candidates 35-30 there is power in the unions

Yes, apologies for the delay in this ongoing series of profiles. Now with polls showing the election a bit closer, the people listed below are pretty much guaranteed to get into Parliament. As you'll see, almost all of them have one thing in common - it's called unions!

Carmel Sepuloni – list 35: profile, no photo or website, but she does have facebook. She stood for the leftwing City Vision ticket at the local body elections for the Mt Roskill Community Board. She is of "Samoan, Tongan and Palagi descent".

“I believe I can offer the Labour Parliamentary team a valuable perspective on issues that affect New Zealanders. My personal commitment has always been to strive and advocate for equity, social justice and fairness.” Sounds like a standard Labour soundbite,”fairness”, as if government can make life fair, rather than the opposite. Such naivety.

“Life and work experience have taught me that in order to do this successfully, it is necessary to participate in all levels of decision making.” Carmel why do you need to make decisions for other people? Why?

“I am confident that my skills, values, vision and life experience will enable me to effectively serve the Labour Party and our diverse New Zealand communities.” That’s great, why don’t you tell us what they are? Oh you don’t great.

So ladies and gentlemen, vote Labour for the party vote and you get list MPs who tell you next to nothing about themselves. Great that. Prediction: Carmel has a chance of being elected if Labour gets around the vote it did when it first won in 1999.

Rick Barker – Tukituki - number 34: Profile, photo but no website. Rick Barker has been an MP since 1993 representing Hastings then Tukituki, but in 2005 lost the seat, but gained a list position. Rick’s past was as (guess) a union National Secretary, having been a blue collar worker. He is now Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister for Courts, Minister of Civil Defence and Minister of Veterans' Affairs.

“Having come from a family who valued hard work, I recognise that it is hard work which leads to strong families, strong communities and a strong society” Good stuff Rick, now let us get on with that without you spending our money.

“I have seen the changes that such policies as Working for Families and Modern Apprenticeships and the increase in the minimum wage have made in our community. I know that secure jobs and superannuation, fair wages and affordable health care are important to you.” Yes made more people dependent on the state Rick. Well done.

Craig Foss of National took Tukituki from Rick Barker in 2005 with 49.3% of the vote against 42.4%, a rather decent majority. National was ahead on the party vote too with 46.5% against Labour’s 37.7%. Prediction: Rick wont turn that around, but he has a good chance of staying in Parliament on the list.

Darien Fenton – Helensville – number 33: Profile, photo and no website. Darien is a list MP and yet another union lackey. Seriously, how many unionists need to be in Parliament?

“I believe in fairness – for workers, for families and for communities.” I believe in meanness. I mean how banal is that? Well everyone it is code for “I believe in taking money off of people who I don't think are fair" (insert 6 year old girl like scowl)

“I raised my family through the bad times of the 1990’s, when our country was almost wrecked by a government that had no concern for ordinary people. Jobs disappeared, wages declined and poverty increased.” I am a silly bint who believes governments make jobs, increase wealth and want to forget Labour was in power before that implementing similar policies because the economy had been wrecked by socialism.

The lying bint ignores how unemployment dropped and incomes rose in the late 1990s, but then that’s her job – she’s a politician - lying comes naturally.

“Labour has the best leader, the strongest track record for delivering for all New Zealanders and the best ideas for meeting the challenges ahead.” Yes the government as an all encompassing Nanny delivers for you all.

She has no chance against John Key, who won with 64.1% against Labour’s Judy Lawley on 26.9%, party vote was won by National on 55.1% against Labour’s 28%. However as we creep up the list the chances get better. Prediction: No chance in Helensville, but she’ll slip in on the list – sadly, because she’s rather stupid.

Lynne Pillay – Waitakere – number 32: Photo, profile and no website. Lynne was a nurse, who then went on to the Nurses’ Union and from there the Engineers’ Union. She has a long history in leftwing causes such as “ Equity, Paid Parental Leave, Health and Safety, Save our Holidays, Fairness at Work” so she adds a much needed union voice to a Labour caucus that has a handful who have no experience with unions.

She is the MP for Waitakere and her profile states:

“I have concentrated my energy into promoting Labour’s policies such as paid parental leave, 20 hours a week free early childhood education, interest-free student loans and apprenticeships. Families want the best for their children and that is why tax relief through Working for Families, four weeks’ annual holiday, cheaper doctors’ visits and prescriptions are important. Combined with the subsidies and assistance with home ownership through KiwiSaver, all New Zealanders have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

So she is into taking your taxes and spending them – so another vote for socialism, middle class welfare and she knows best how to spend your money.

She won with 48.9% of the vote against National’s Paula Bennett on 33.1% in 2005, Paula was elected on the list. Party vote was 46.7% Labour and 34.2% National. The question will be whether Lynne’s socialism and her claim that she brought Waitakere a hospital and the ARC funded double tracking of the Western rail line will help maintain her lead. Odds are that in this seat, where Laila Harre came second in 2002, Labour will scrape through against Paula Bennett who will put up a reasonable fight. Prediction: Lynne Pillay will keep the seat of the Westies, though not by much.

Ashraf Choudhary – number 31 list only: Photo, profile, no website, but there is a blog in name here which almost certainly is not his! Choudhary upset some Muslims because he abstained on prostitution law reform, and then he refused to condemn stoning of homosexuals in other countries just saying it was wrong in New Zealand. He says “The Labour-led government has brought about an unflinching belief in the positive attributes that accompany a diverse nation.” Um it existed before Labour. Choudhary will get in, because he is ranked low enough, but he really is virtually useless as an MP. He clearly has some beliefs that embarrass Labour, but his presence on the list somehow attracts those of Muslim beliefs.

Here is what the NZ Herald reported him saying three years ago:
"Mr Choudhary was asked: "Are you saying the Koran is wrong to recommend that gays in certain circumstances be stoned to death?" He replied: " No, no. Certainly what the Koran says is correct. "In those societies, not here in New Zealand," he added. "

Prediction: This rather embarrassing man will be elected by those who tick Labour on the party list.

Steve Chadwick – Rotorua – number 30: Photo, profile, no website. Chadwick was a midwife, a union rep in the Nurses’ Organisation and a district councillor, so again more diverse qualifications in the Labour party.

“It has taken hard work and tenacity, but Rotorua can now boast a secure hospital, more pre-schools and education facilities, lower teacher-pupil ratios, improved community safety, long-term funding to clean up our lakes, low unemployment, improved services for young people, Treaty settlements, arts, tourism, environment – all flourishing, all thriving.”

So she is campaigning on a local record of how much pork she has brought to Rotorua. You’d think Rotovegas is booming town of success and safety, when it has a dire suburban underclass of drug use, welfarism and crime. Chadwick scraped in at the 2005 election with 40.8% of the vote, National’s Gil Stebhens managed 38.6%, so it must surely be a risk for her against National’s Todd McLay this time. National won the party vote in 2005, with 41.9% against Labour’s 36.7%. Prediction: Todd McLay will be MP for Rotorua, Chadwick will slip back in on the list of course.

So there you go, only 29 to go, I am going to work hard to get through the rest by the end of the week. See what you can look forward to with another term of Labour? See also how very little the mainstream media scrutinises who will get in with a Labour list vote?

Don't worry Auntie Helen makes you feel safe

Yes, what an image. Helen Clark, in an attack of "me-tooism" has guaranteed all deposits in NZ banks with - your money. Yes, makes you feel so much better doesn't it?

You see, Auntie Helen and Uncle Michael don't have hoards of money stashed away that they earnt from some great endeavour. No, they have your money and your children's money they can take - unless they change the Reserve Bank Act and start increasing the money supply (ohh how tempting that may be for them) and inflation.

Pity at least a quarter of the public is too dumb to know better.

Now to be fair, NZ banks are sound enough for this to be only a little more than a stunt - well, unless you think attracting foreign deposits to NZ (like what has happened in Ireland) isn't a risk for NZ taxpayers - but what is most grating is how Clark is characterising the global financial crisis.

Clark has used what has essentially been a collapse of speculation on property markets fueled by loose monetary policy as a chance to throw some supercilious bile against free markets - of course she would - she's never been a friend of the market economy, whether it be her past in picking coffee beans for communists, her declaration that "the state is sovereign" and her long standing willingness to nationalise (rail and Air NZ) and monopolise (ACC) regardless of what consumers or producers want, demonstrates how much she sees this as a chance to rub her hands and tell the gullible how much they have to feel secure - she's in charge.

It is, of course, banal nonsense. This government has wasted much money, has raised taxes (and only just lowered them), and increased spending of your money year on year well beyond inflation. To say your money is secure because of the government is like saying that the mafia keeps it secure, in exchange for that hefty payout Leftie strongarms from your pay packet every fortnight.

Look at what she wants to borrow from your children to pay for:
- A railway line from Marsden Point to Whangarei. A project so lousy that the local authorities wont risk ratepayers money on it, the profitable port company wont waste its shareholders' funds on it and no other investor thinks it's a good idea (and it has an economic benefit/cost ratio of less than 1, meaning it's as crazy as any Muldoonist scheme);
- Upgrading schools - regardless of whether it will generate better educational outcomes, but it employs the building industry (which had such a hard time didn't it?);
- Back country refforestation- probably on land you own through the state and regardless of whether it's a good idea. More blue collar jobs to vote Labour though, right?

However the look at what the PM thieving bitch had to say about those who responded to the monetary supply provided by governments and to those members of the public who sought to maximise their own welfare from the property bubbles:

"A curtain is being drawn on the era of the free-wheeling unregulated money traders and financiers whose greed has shaken the international financial system to its core. Co-ordinated international action will be needed to ensure that the greed merchants don't ever again get the chance to destroy the lives of ordinary people in real jobs trying to put food on the table for their families"

What are you Helen? An ordinary person in a real job? Since when was it unregulated? Who is responsible for the money supply? Who borrowed self-certified mortgages of up to 120% of property value Helen?

Go wage your class war somewhere else - you don't produce anything Helen Clark - everything you give has been taken by force from someone else.

Understanding Nat's tax policy

So what are the Nats going to do? It's not so simple, but it is a step forward.

The Independent Earner Rebate is a fudge for extending Working for Families to single people, which is ok in itself, but complicates the tax system. Simpler, but more controversial to do away with Working for Families altogether.

The top tax rate inches down to 37% over 2 years, and the bottom rate from 21% to.... 20%! The threshold for reaching the 33% rate moves up to NZ$50,000, which is a step forward. Be grateful for small mercies, for that is what they are. If you want more, it's clear you'll have to vote for ACT, Libertarianz or United Future even (eeeks).

On top of that the Nats are maintaining a growth in real terms in state dependency on the grand fraud scheme known as national superannuation. You will continue to pay taxes for your parent's retirement in the hope that your children and other people's children will do the same. You will continue to pay taxes "towards retirement" and your estate will get absolutely nothing whatsoever if you die the day before 64, you'll get what the state says you get regardless of whether it invested the money wisely or not.

Yes I know most New Zealanders don't understand that it is fraud, yes I know that engaging in a rational debate about this sort of policy is beyond the feeble minds in much of the media, especially television, but why increase the dependency?

Roger Douglas understood the fraud of national superannuation only too well, although his solution was not one I agreed with. For National to abandon even discussing people saving for their own retirement, shows its great fear of the Muldoonist Grey Power lobby, and intellectual and communications vacuousness.

Helen uses the budget deficit

Economy tight?

Ah who cares - borrow from future taxpayers to get your own plane to shuttle you to a Grey Power meeting, as the NZ Herald reports the PM asking the air force to fly her to make a speech.

So taxpayers pay for her to fly to make a speech - but it isn't electioneering no!! Glad to hear it, John Key can expect the same thing then can he? He just needs an invite as Leader of the Opposition. In fact Rodney Hide should get one as the MP for Epsom.

More Labour fleecing the taxpayer to go do some electioneering in anything but name.

The leftwing Muldoon/formerly Winston supporting Grey Power didn't mind either, no doubt because most of them will be dead by the time the taxes need to be found to pay back the deficit, and they all worship nanny state providing retirement, health care and everything else.

More fuel tax thanks to Labour

and the Greens, and NZ First, and United Future and Jim Anderton.

2c a litre next year, rising to 9.5c a litre by 2011. Yes, you needed that didn't you?

7c of it is to electrify the Auckland passenger rail network, which shows you how much of a great saving that will be, because fares can't recover that cost.
1c is for further upgrades to Auckland's rail network.
1c to help build the Penlink highway in Rodney District
0.5c to upgrade ferry terminals and a new ticketing system

Well it IS a Labour government.

National opposed it, but big surprise what did John Key say in response? *baaaahh meeeeee toooo* Getting used to National opposing policies it just never changes when it is in government? Getting used to wondering what the hell the point is in voting National yet?

The NZ Herald reported he "acknowledged a fuel tax as a "legitimate way" of raising money for electrification, but was concerned at the speed with which it would go up to 9.5c"

Meanwhile, according to the NZ Herald the rail worshipping Greens are unhappy that a small part of the new Auckland regional fuel tax, which largely comes from motorists is to be spent on - a road!! Yes, outrageous really - motorists paying for a road, when they should be happy to be paying for transport modes they don't use, and which aren't even within 10kms of them (rail). Given motorists on the North Shore will pay this new fuel tax and wont get a railway, maybe the Greens might ask why they should be paying this tax at all?

The Greens think the proposed Penlink road/bridge, to link Whangaparaoa Peninsula with the Northern Motorway, is inconsistent with the Auckland Regional Land Transport Strategy - a document that before Labour was barely relevant to transport planning (fortunately). It calls the Penlink project "pork-barrelling of the worst kind". Not that the Greens believe in special subsidies for projects no - I mean the Wellington trolley buses for example...

Unbelievable. So pillaging the pockets of road users, car users, taxi companies, bus and truck companies to pay the costs of building an electric rail network isn't pork- no, because those who use it wont be paying for it, but those who don't use it will.

Now the Penlink project was once meant to be a toll road, but its costs have blown well out and it is no longer viable - which tells you that it shouldn't be getting built at all as not enough revenue can be gained from tolls to pay for it - but for the Greens to feel blasphemed against because a new petrol tax may have less than 15% of its revenue spent on a road, tells you how disconnected from user pays they are.

Just think if car usage dropped 20% there wouldn't be enough money to waste on subsidising railways hmmm.

NZ First launches campaign

One truth about NZ politics has been to never write off Winston Peters, he's not going down without a fight, and he didn't in every election he fought on his own. So his launch of the NZ First campaign is the lifeline he is hoping to grab to save his political career - because have no two ways about it, without Winston Peters, NZ First will be like the Alliance without Jim Anderton, a tiny rump ready to fade away.

So Winston has launched his campaign.

NZ First is playing the nationalist card par excellence now with a curious range of policies.

- Cutting GST to 10% and having a tax free income tax threshold of NZ$5,200. (Both of which I agree with of themselves, obviously);
- Cut immigration (immigrants make many talkback callers feel inferior because many are better educated, harder working and use better English than locals. This is just unabashed xenophobia);
- Renationalisation by choice, with the state setting up a fund for the public to invest in to "buy back" "strategic assets" (nationalism with socialism, but in a more liberal form - after all, Labour just renationalises with taxes);
- Restrict foreign investment (depressing prices for businesses and restricting capital investment);
- Engage in trade protectionism (inflating prices and deflating quality and choice for consumers. It's a bluff of course, as New Zealand can hardly reverse its low tariffs without being hurt by retaliatory measures by other countries under WTO rules).

So it's "fear the foreigners and stand strong, buy NZ made and buy back assets from foreigners".

However, NZ First has some other messages, some sane, some sinister.

He talks some basic simple sense about Maori:

"Real Maori men do not beat up women and children. They do not feed drugs to young people. They do not hang out in gangs that prey on the weak and defenceless. They do not sell their teenage sisters and girlfriends into prostitution. And the Maori women we know nurture and protect their young. They do not mistreat them."

Though not one policy on this.

"We’ve been told that it is not important to win, and that it’s good to hug a tree." An inkling of sense in this, but he hasn't really got the point, and when he said "We’ve been taught not to compete and that boys and girls are exactly the same." you wonder how different he thinks boys and girls are? Sexism after all is irrational and nonsensical.

"why are government and local body accounts with foreign banks, so they can clip the ticket on every transaction." It's the Jews Winston, the Jews run the world. Maybe they offer better deals than the locally owned ones for those bodies? Maybe New Zealand owned and operated isn't always offering everyone the best deal?

"We will protect your investments and savings by providing a government guarantee to approved financial institutions like Kiwibank and the Taranaki Savings Bank.
We’re going to guarantee deposits up to $100,000 in NZ owned banks." This would be contrary to WTO commitments, but joins the lunacy of the Europeans all of which offer taxpayer guarantees for banks. Given Kiwibank is state owned is should be rather obvious, but TSB? Why? It is a good bank, I am a TSB bank customer and have found it to be so, but it does not need a government guarantee. Indeed that would be a reason to withdraw my funds.

"New Zealand First is going to use the States credit and loan facilities to drive interest rates dramatically down. We will stop this vacuuming of over $4 billion per year profit to foreign owned banks." Heh heh heh, Rob Muldoon is alive and well. So Winston after doing that, which no sane government will ever let you do, you plan on price freezes to combat the massive inflationary effect? Or have you joined Social Credit (maybe Winston is after the 0.05% Democrats for Social Credit got in 2005?)

"after decades of National and Labour governments you are living in a country with scores of imported cultures, some with no respect for normal human values." The imported cultures shouldn't be feared of course, but yes a handful have no respect for values such as non-violence. Winston means the handful of Islamists who abuse women and children, does he? He could mean the Pacific Islanders who beat up their wives and kids. He could have just focused on people needing to respect our laws, but no - he's playing his dusty old race card isn't he?

So we are back the old formula, keep the foreigners out, keep the foreigners' money out, keep the foreign made goods and services out, and spend taxpayers' money on the elderly and on subsidising export led businesses. It's Muldoon all over again.

Winston's finest moment was in 1996, when as the third party with 13.4% of the vote and 17 MPs he was the kingmaker, and after Jim Bolger and Helen Clark acting like the town sluts seeking to seduce Winston into bed, Winston picked Bolger. That coalition lasted two years, was the downfall of Jim Bolger, and saw Winston face the 1999 election barely scraping by thanks to a handful of people in Tauranga. 4.3% in 1999 was followed by 10.4% in 2002, as National was forlornly led by Bill English and Winston was seen as the only Opposition. It took a determined National Party to fight back in 2005, with NZ First down to 5.7% and Winston losing Tauranga.

Tauranga looks like a lost cause again, and it really will be a case of whether the recent scandal over Winston's alleged obfuscation of party funding will cost him enough votes to drop below 5%. National is counting on NZ First not being elected, otherwise it wouldn't have ruled it out of any post election deal (we all know the Nats are political whores par excellence, as can be seen in 1998-1999). However, we should not forget that NZ First has been the party of government for the last three years. Labour has depended on NZ First support for confidence and supply, taxation, spending and almost everything it has done.

It isn't over yet though. Winston Peters has a habit of capturing enough media attention to waken up the handful of neurons inside his supporters heads, and enough might just tick the box to keep the party above 5%. Prolonged media scrutiny plays into his hands as would any TV debates, where he tends to perform quite well.

I want NZ First gone - it is probably the political party that more want out of Parliament than any other - it is perhaps the least intelligent, most populist driven and conspiracy driven party in Parliament. It suits nutters basically.

However it is worth noting one point - the Greens and NZ First basically agree with each other on trade, foreign investment and state owned businesses. That's the inconvenient truth the Greens would never ever admit to.

Labour candidates 40-36 - mostly mediocre

Continuing my series on Labour candidates are numbers 40 to 36. This is when we are getting into the margin between winning and losing. It is conceivable that Labour wont get enough party votes to save these MPs if they do not win their constituencies. Not because Labour wont have 36 MPs, but because enough lower down the list and off list will have a bigger chance of winning electorates, so there will be a lesser need for the list MPs. Now guess the profession of most of them...

Mahara Okeroa – Te Tai Tonga – Number 40: Profile, photo and no website link. He has a facebook. Mahara is Te Tai Tonga’s current MP. Mahara was a teacher and a regional director for Te Puni Kokiri before being elected in 1999. Nothing unusual in a Labour MP coming from teaching and bureaucracy, makes a small change from unions.

“By removing barriers to Maori in education, healthcare, housing, and employment, we have made sure that Maori are equipped with all the tools to enable them to reach their full potential.” Yet some don’t, care to explain why Mahara? What barriers existed before?? “Maori are entrepreneurial, youthful and dynamic, and Labour is determined to build on these attributes, to ensure that Maori have the best possible future.” Well quite positive really. To give Mahara credit his profile doesn’t engage in attacking other parties, and he talks about opportunities and less about government support (although he certainly implies that a lot).

He’s certainly head and shoulders above Louisa Wall as a Maori candidate.
In 2005 Mahara won with 47.2% of the vote against the Maori Party’s Monte Ohia on 34.1%. Labour got 57.9% against Maori Party’s 17.6%. Mahara may well be able to hold his own here against Rahui Katene, the Maori Party candidate. Although I support abolishing the Maori seats, in the meantime, I hope he does hold on, though you have to wonder who the three people were in Te Tai Tonga who voted for the One NZ Party! Prediction: Mahara will hang onto his seat, Te Tai Tonga isn’t a Maori Party stronghold.

Mark Burton – Taupo – number 39: Profile, no photo and no website. Mark has been MP since 1993 first for Tongariro then Taupo. Mark was a social worker, and worked for the Red Cross, Social Welfare and Otaki Health Camp before being elected. He has been a Minister of Internal Affairs, Defence and SOEs, but resigned from these roles in 2007.

“Labour has major policies to roll out and progress, building on the broad range of social, economic and environmental policies we have advanced over the last nine years. " Like?

“So in Election 2008, I am proudly campaigning, and Labour is campaigning - as we always have, on substance – on policies delivered and policies to come, because we know that none of the very real challenges New Zealand has faced and faces now, can be met with short-term fixes and one line slogans.” Hmmm yes, Labour wouldn’t do that, I mean the website has no one line slogans does it?

Now Mark is going to be looking for another job after the election. He won Taupo with 45.5% of the vote in 2005, against National’s Weston Kirton on 41.1% (Mayor of Ruapehu District). With boundary changes this is the most marginal seat in the country, so Mark is almost certainly gone. On the party vote National was ahead in 2005 with 44.3% against Labour’s 37.3%. Louise Upston is the National candidate. Prediction: Mark Burton’s political career is over. Labour has virtually guaranteed it.

Judith Tizard – Auckland Central – number 38: Photo and profile, no website. Judith’s life has been in local body politics, and owning and managing a restaurant. She is of course the final member of a bizarre political dynasty that includes her grumpy dad and foul mouthed mother. Judith has been an MP since 1990 (Panmure, then Auckland Central defeating Sandra Lee in 1996).

Judith’s profile has no statement, it looks like a CV – convenient really because there is a reasonable chance she’ll need it after the election. It shows her out of Cabinet portfolios and her interests “Politics, reading, gardening, cooking, swimming and theatre”.

Nothing about aspirations, nothing about Labour’s “achievements”, nothing about future policy, nothing about what she wants for Auckland Central or has “achieved”. Great that.

Judith won in 2005 with 43.9% not a high percentage of the electorate vote, against Pansy Wong with 33.1% . Mind you Nandor Tanczos got 14.8% of the electorate vote. It is telling the party vote for Labour was higher on 45.2% with National on 33.7%. National’s Nikki Kaye is working damned hard to unseat Judith, and she has a chance. Judith’s position is on the knive edge locally and on the list. Nikki Kaye has a large gap to bridge, and with Nandor Tanczos retiring it does offer votes that can go elsewhere. It is a brave man who is certain on this one, but I’d like to think Judith would barely be ousted. Prediction (maybe optimistic but): Judith will be surprised when Auckland Central is tired of her and the Labour vote just scrapes below enough to save her on the list. Nikki Kaye will be the bold intelligent hard working new MP for Auckland Central.

Damien O’Connor – West Coast-Tasman – number 37: photo and profile, no website. Damien has been MP for that region since 1993. He has been a farmer, adventure tourism operator and union rep (funny that).

“While being the elected representative for our region since 1993, I am particularly proud of what has been achieved for the electorate during the last three years. Both the West Coast and Tasman continue to flourish; a result of considerable government investment and sustained economic growth. We must ensure this continues.”

Nothing exciting, rather bog standard, then a long list of pork that he claims he is responsible for getting for the West Coast. At least he’s honest, though government should never be about pork. Damien got 47.7% of the vote in 2008, against National’s Chris Auchinvole who got 40.9%, so this is no longer the safe Labour seat it once was, particularly when you note National won the party vote here with 39.6% against Labour’s 37.2%. Chris Auchinvole won a list seat and is running again. It could be a tighter race, though Damien has a strong local following. Prediction: Damien O’Connor will scrape in.

Stuart Nash – number 36 list only: profile, no picture or website. My guess is that Labour needs to get to this party vote to have a serious chance at power.

“I have the skills and experience to handle the complexities of the 21st century and to get the job done. I am well educated and experienced in business, strategy, marketing, management and trade, with Master’s degrees from Auckland and Canterbury Universities.” Degrees in business hmmm but that means “I was the Director of Strategic Development at AUT University” so not REALLY business then.

The funny thing is he never once mentions Labour, at all, not anything the government has done, or any policies, or the word Labour!

“As this country embraces the 21st century. I am confident with my experience and abilities that we will be able to handle the issues and challenges that are going to confront New Zealand in the future.”

Well it’s a list position, but I think Stuart wont quite make it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh dear, Damien O'Connor and Mahara Okeroa have the best chances of this lot, Mark Burton is a lost cause, but the real race is Auckland Central. What sweeter victory for National than to remove one of Parliament's lazier MPs. However, Labour's party vote also needs to drop below 38%.

Labour candidates 44-40 underwhelming

In my ongoing series of Labour candidates, I cross into those who are actually in Parliament - the ones that Labour needs re-electing to be in power, and a sad lot they are. None of them I believe will be re-elected:

Lesley Soper - Invercargill - number 44: Profile, photo, no website on site. Lesley is the first list MP I have profiled, having entered Parliament following the resignation of Georgina Beyer. She's a unionist (yawn yawn what a surprise), having worked for the primary teacher's monopoly and unaccountable pay rises union (NZEI).

She believes in Southland, but I had NO idea that it is the DIARY capital of the country. I must get a new diary next time I am down there. Why? Well she says :"the whole province has done well under the Labour-led government, from education and health to jobs, to diarying expansion & oil exploration, to a new CourtHouse , to an international-class Sports Stadium". Diarying indeed! An MP who values education!

She's a list MP, so if Labour does as well as last time, she's in - but Invercargill? It's a National seat, Eric Roy took it last time with 49.5% of the vote, against Labour's Wayne Harpur on 43%. Bear in mind Mark Peck held it until 2005 when he retired. So Soper will be trying to win, but her chances are low. Party vote last time was won by Labour on 45.2% against National on 39.5%, so she should be focusing on holding that. Prediction: Soper will be looking for another job, she wont unseat Eric Roy and Labour wont do well enough for her to be elected on the list.

Louisa Wall - Tamaki Makaurau - Number 43: Photo and profile, but no website on the party site. She doesnt appear to have a website for campaign too. Louisa is another list MP, known for her netball. She got into Parliament because of the retirement of Ann Hartley.

Louisa's profile states she "gained a Masters degree in Social Policy in 2001. I have used this degree to advance the needs and aspirations of Maori working within public bureaucracies as a Maori specific representative." Oh dear, so she loves advancing people who are unproductive in a "Maori context", just what Maori need - encouragement to live off of the back of others!

For Maori to have an MP who stands for self reliance, success, education, reason, entrepreneurship and getting the state off their backs. Well it isn't Louisa. Yes she is young, successful in sport, Maori and lesbian - but that isn't enough to consider passing laws and spending other people's money. Tamaki Makaurau was won by Pita Sharples with 52.4% of the vote against John Tamihere on 41.2%. Louisa will surely struggle against Sharples. On the party vote Labour got 55.1% the Maori Party 27.5%, so she'll mainly be campaigning for that, which frankly is the main way she may get re-elected. Prediction: Louisa will be looking for another job, she wont win Tamaki Makaurau, and the party vote wont quite be enough.

Dave Hereora - Papakura - number 42: Profile, photo. Dave Hereora is one of the least impressive MPs of all. Nobody knows him, he is a list MP and just another unionist.

This on his profile is difficult to comprehend: "Having canvassed the Papakura electorate, of the number of issues raised, crime is highlighted as a concern relating to the recent raft of incidents within the wider South Auckland area." OK, you know Labour has been in power for nine years. Crime highlighted relating to the raft of incidents???

"Although statistics show a drop in crime, I am continuing to work alongside the Police in support of their presence and have attended, along with the schools and community, the opening of the Awhi Centre in Smiths Avenue. I am also working closely with Mayor Penrose and meeting and visiting local retailers to improve their networking and safety procedures. " Meeting AND visiting, because an MP can teach you networking and safety.

What a genius, talent and there aren't enough unionists in Parliament are there?

Dave is standing for the new seat of Papakura against Judith Collins, who is the incumbent from Clevedon. Dave will struggle against Judith, but it isn't ruled out. As we move further up the list, that may be where his chance lies, but don't forget, others lower on the list have higher chances of winning electorates. Prediction: Dave will be looking for another job.

Martin Gallagher - Hamilton West - number 41: Profile, photo and well yes Martin is an electorate MP since 1999. "I am seeking re-election to parliament because of my absolute commitment to social justice." Another bloody thief - social justice meaning those successful get money taken from them to pay for those who are not.

"I want to be part of a Government that recognises and promotes our uniqueness as a society and takes our values of peace and fairness to an international stage." Pass the bucket. Save me, can't any of these tossers write anything substantive? Peace? Fairness? Surely more can be expected from a former Deputy Mayor, a member of the multi millionaire Gallagher family? Guilty about success so much he is part of government sucking success out of others.

So Hamilton West was won by Martin in 2005 with only 45.9% of the electorate vote against National's Tim MacIndoe on 43.5% - 825 votes in it. So it is marginal, as is the party vote with Labour on 41.3% and National on 40%. Tim MacIndoe is standing again for National, so Martin faces a serious challenge. Again the list position isn't that high if those higher up win their seats as some may do. Prediction- Martin Gallagher will be going back to the family business.

Labour brings you more petrol tax and a useless railway

Yes, electrification of Auckland's passenger rail network is to go ahead, but don't expect those using it to pay for it.

No. Dr Cullen has said you'll be paying, if you drive in Auckland.

Motorists will, with a new petrol tax for Auckland. Even those driving in Warkworth, Waiuku, Orewa, Bucklands Beach, everywhere without being a "cooee of a railway station" as the PM once said. Yes, Labour is taxing all road users in Auckland to benefit a relatively small number of people who can choose the train to go to work, and those with adjacent properties.

You see in Auckland only 12% of jobs are in the CBD - and perhaps only another 2% are served by other stations along the Auckland rail network. Only 3 out of 9 of Auckland's main transport corridors are served by rail (the one's that aren't are North Shore-CBD, North Shore to West Auckland, CBD-central isthmus, CBD- Pakuranga, Pakuranga-South Auckland and West Auckland to South Auckland (unless you accept it is very slow)). So of that, let's say 15% of jobs, only 5% of commuters could even USE rail, if it was convenient times etc. Around 30% of commuters to downtown Auckland already use bus, so many of those using rail will be ex. bus users, bus services that in many instances are commercially viable privately run operations.

So this is about benefiting at best maybe 2.5% of commuters - it wont reduce congestion, it never has done anywhere else, it will take people from buses and will be a very expensive subsidised trip for those lucky enough to live near a station and work near one.

It's a show off toy for politicians to open. Are you prepared to spend more on petrol to pay for something you don't use? If you want it, are you prepared to pay a fare that fully recovers the cost of providing the service? If not? Why are you prepared to pay a fare that does if you want to fly to Wellington?

Why should urban public transport not be expected to be self sustaining?

The Auckland Regional Council thinks it is essential - it is entirely in the thrall of the failed Smart Growth rail based public transport religion that has seen billions wasted throughout the USA to no avail. "regional council transport chairwoman Christine Rose said it was essential electrification be secured through a fuel tax" the same silly bint who supported the illegal cycle protest over the Northern Motorway, and who wants to waste money on an expensive cycle bridge over the harbour.

Unsurprisingly, the Nats haven't said if they would reverse the petrol tax, but they wouldn't reverse the waste of money of electrification. Fine if it is a contractually committed sunk cost, but that's it.

Auckland has wasted a lot of money on rebuilding its virtually useless railway system to replace a lot of bus services, it is about to spend a fortune on pursuing electrification which may generate more trips, but at a huge subsidy - and with virtually no impact on congestion. Aucklanders who want a railway should pay for it - those who don't shouldn't. How hard is it for people to pay for the transport they use? Yes, that does mean tolls for new roads, it does mean no more ratepayer funding of local roads and it does mean not building a tunnel under the PM's electorate for a motorway.

Can someone at least ask for an independent study into the economics of Auckland passenger rail?